On Thursday, the coach of Tokyo Olympic steeplechase silver medallist and world record holder Lamecha Girma announced on Twitter that the athlete is in good condition after a horrific fall during the men’s 3,000m steeplechase final Wednesday evening. In a dramatic last lap, Girma tripped while going over the second-last barrier, falling hard and appearing to lose consciousness. He lay motionless on the track as the other runners finished the race. The Ethiopian was then carried off the track on a stretcher and transported to hospital, where he spent the night.
Girma is the world record holder in the event at just 23; he broke the previous record at the 2023 Paris Diamond League, making him one of the favourites heading into the Olympic final. Sadly, it was not to be.
🏃♂️💥 Shock at the track! Ethiopia’s Lamecha Girma taken to the hospital after a devastating fall in the 3,000m steeplechase. #Steeplechase #Athletics
Lamecha Girma’s condition revealed after fall in Olympics steeplechase https://t.co/Pv7EDS8IBC via @MailSport
— Kaik (@Kaik659300) August 8, 2024
The Elite Running Team announced on Thursday that Girma did not sustain any severe head injuries during the fall, but that he will continue to undergo further scans and examinations before being discharged from the hospital.
Girma’s fall fit right in to the series of disasters occurring at the Stade de France on day seven of athletics. In round one of the men’s 5,000m, viewers and spectators saw six men hit the ground during the first heat. Shortly after, runners in the second heat barely avoid a collision with a wandering cameraman.
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Paris 2024 organizers have told media they will stay in close contact with the Ethiopian National Olympic Committee for updates on Girma’s condition, and wished him a swift recovery.
