Tokyo World Championships: Daru finishes seventh in 3,000m steeplechase final

The heats did not go entirely to plan for the three French athletes entered in the 3,000m steeplechase. In the first heat, Nicolas-Marie Daru secured his place in the final by finishing fourth, while Louis Gilavert and Djilali Bedrani, the other two French representatives, saw their World Championships come to an end in the heats on Saturday, September 13. One finished seventh in the second heat in 8:28.90, while the other was eighth in the third heat in 8:35.50.

Daru finishes seventh in the 3,000m steeplechase final

After qualifying impressively for the World Championships final on Saturday, September 13, by finishing fourth in the first heat, Échirolles native Nicolas-Marie Daru gave everything he had in pursuit of a top finish. Ninth at the penultimate barrier, the Frenchman moved up two places in the home straight. His finish was not enough to put him on the podium in a highly competitive race where nobody was willing to take the lead. He completed the seven-and-a-half laps in 8:35.77, just over two seconds behind winner Geordie Beamish, who clocked 8:33.88.

“The race, as we expected to some extent, took a long time to open up. With 1,000m to go, things started to move. I tried to stay very alert so I wouldn’t get caught out. I had it in my head to accelerate with 600m to go after the water jump, to play my trump card. The American got there before me and that shook things up, so I tried to hang on. It’s frustrating because in the end there are only two seconds between us, and that’s what I’m missing to mix it with the best. But at least I can see the path I need to take to be up there with them. I’m very proud of this seventh place today, even though I would have liked to race at the front and perhaps go for a podium, or even the win. My eyes are already on Birmingham next year and the European Championships, where I’ll try to improve on my sixth place from last year,” said the 36-year-old former soldier.

 I had it in my head to accelerate with 600m to go after the water jump, to play my trump card. The American got there before me and that shook things up, so I tried to hang on. It’s frustrating because in the end there are only two seconds between us, and that’s what I’m missing to mix it with the best. 

Geordie Beamish turns resilience into gold

New Zealand’s Geordie Beamish stunned Morocco’s Soufiane El Bakkali to claim the world title after a sensational final 100m (8:33.88). Disconsolate, the two-time world champion and world No. 1 in the 3,000m steeplechase, who had run 8:00.70 on May 25 at the Meeting International Mohammed VI de Rabat in his home country of Morocco, eased off too early and could not find the extra gear needed to cross the line first (8:33.95). “I wouldn’t say there were dark moments last year, but there were some really difficult moments. Nothing in this sport is given to you. I was at my best a few months before Paris, then I went through a really tough period. But a year later, here we are,” said Geordie Beamish.

Beamish, ranked 44th in the world before the Championships and with a season’s best of 8:13.86 set on June 15 at Stockholm’s Olympic Stadium in Sweden, claimed New Zealand’s first gold medal in the event. He made headlines for a second time after footage from the heats went viral across the sporting world: he fell, got back up and finished second in his heat to stay alive in the competition for the final. His victory did not come out of nowhere. He was the world indoor 1,500m champion in Glasgow in 2024 and finished fifth at the Budapest World Championships two years ago. Kenya’s Edmund Serem completed the podium (8:34.56) after a fierce battle with Ethiopia’s Samuel Firewu, who collapsed on the track after crossing the line (8:34.68). This middle-distance final was decided by another historic sprint, with the title settled by less than a tenth of a second and the bronze medal by just over a tenth. Despite his disappointment, El Bakkali savored his silver medal a few minutes after finishing, diving into the iconic water jump alongside Tokyo’s new champion.

These World Championships are full of surprises. From Noah Lyles, the 100m star, settling for a bronze medal to Grant Holloway’s early exit in the 110m hurdles semifinals, the biggest names are being knocked off their perch. Soufiane El Bakkali paid the price this time, devastated to see a third world title slip away.