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Lamecha Girma, an Ethiopian runner, was taken to hospital after hitting his head in a dramatic fall on the final lap of the men’s 300m steeplechase final at the Olympic Games.
Girma, the current world record holder and silver medalist in Tokyo, was charging through the field on the final lap when he broke his knee on a hurdle and fell head first onto the track. The race continued in his absence, with medics entering the track and fitting him with a neck brace before he was carried off on a stretcher.
He was taken to hospital for a check-up. Initial reports said he was conscious and able to talk.
World record holder Lamecha Girma suffered a nasty fall during the 3000m steeplechase and rival Soufiane El Bakkali took Olympic gold 🥇
We send you our best wishes and hope Lamecha is well ❤️#Paris2024 photo.twitter.com/510IBd3Avu
— Eurosport (@eurosport) August 7, 2024
Girma’s coach, Teshome Kebede, confirmed on Thursday morning that Girma had spent the night in hospital but was in “good condition”. In Girma’s absence, the race was won by Moroccan Soufiane El Bakkali, who had also won gold in Tokyo, ahead of American Kenneth Rooks and Kenyan Abraham Kibiwot in third. El Bakkali clocked a time of eight minutes and 6.05 seconds, but the victory was greatly overshadowed by Girma’s fall when the race ended with him motionless.
Girma’s eyes were open and he was wearing a neck brace as staff carried him away on a stretcher.
“Following his fall in the 3,000m steeplechase, Lamecha Girma received immediate care from the medical teams on site. Our thoughts are with him and we send him our best wishes for a speedy recovery,” Paris 2024 said in a statement.
“Paris 2024 is in close contact with the Ethiopian NOC to stay informed about his condition.”
The race had all the makings of an epic duel as El Bakkali waited in the middle of the peloton before making his move with around 300 metres to go, overtaking Girma, who was charging through the pack.
However, events took a shocking turn when Girma fell, prompting shocked reactions from the crowd.
El Bakkali overtook Rooks at the final corner, but the American pushed on and set a personal best, surprisingly taking silver.
The Moroccan held his arms wide as he crossed the finish line, becoming the first consecutive winner of the event since Finland’s Volmari Iso-Hollo in 1932 and 1936, as medical staff continued to tend to Girma.
Fans at the Stade de France gave him a warm round of applause as he was strapped onto a stretcher and carried through a tunnel.
“I didn’t actually know how bad the crash was – I didn’t know until after the race who had crashed – so I’ll just keep him in my prayers,” Rooks said.
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