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Kenya's Conseslus Kipruto rallied from behind to edge out Ethiopia's Lamecha Girma to retain his World 3,000m steeplechase title at the Doha World Championships on Friday.
Kipruto, who is also the Olympic champion, claimed clocked 8 minutes and 01.35 seconds as Girma came in second in a new Ethiopian national record of 8:01.36.
The Kenyan summoned up a final burst of acceleration and hit the line first, just a mere 0.01 seconds faster than Girma.
Morocco's Soufiane El Bakkali clocked 8:03.76 for bronze. Both Kipruto and Girma had to face some anxious moments waiting for the race winner to be announced having crossed the line almost at the same time.
Kenya's 2019 African Games champion Benjamin Kigen finished a disappointing seventh place with Abraham Kibiwot (8:06.95) winding up seventh. World Under-20 silver-medallist Leonard Kipkemoi Bett finished ninth in 8:10.64.
It was a great victory for the 24-year-old, who has been out with a back injury the entire season, and his celebration told it all.
Kipruto raised his arm, sat on a barrier while putting his finger to his lips and then one hand in the shape of a telescope to his eye.
Meanwhile, Steven Gardiner became the second Bahamian to be crowned men's 400 metres world champion when he stormed to victory in Doha on Friday.
The 24-year-old, a silver medallist in 2017, timed a national record of 43.48 seconds to emulate Avard Moncur's triumph in 2001.
Colombia's PanAm Games champion Anthony Zambrano took silver in 44.15sec while Fred Kerley of the United States was third in a time of 44.17sec.
Kenya's Emmanuel Korir finished sixth in the race.
Additional reporting by AFP
