New Zealand's Beamish Wins World Steeplechase Gold Over El Bakkali in Tokyo

At the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, New Zealand's Geordie Beamish delivered a stunning upset by narrowly defeating Morocco's two-time world and Olympic champion Soufiane El Bakkali in the men's 3000m steeplechase final. Beamish timed his late sprint perfectly, overtaking El Bakkali in the final meters to win by just 0.07 seconds with a time of 8:33.88, while Kenya's Edmund Serem secured the bronze. The race unfolded at an unusually slow pace, with both Beamish and El Bakkali positioned well back until Beamish launched his decisive kick in the closing stretch. Beamish's victory marked New Zealand's first medal at these championships and was especially dramatic given he had fallen during the heats but managed to qualify. El Bakkali was visibly emotional, breaking down in tears after being overtaken at the finish line, highlighting the intensity and high stakes of the contest. Beamish, who previously won the world indoor 1500m title in 2024, described the win as surreal and a significant milestone in his career.