Eugene. Unforgiving 91cm high obstacles, a moat on every roll – and a missing photographer.
This is what the 3,000m hurdlers had to pass in the World Cup Final.
– I was a bit worried that it might give way in some direction at the last minute, says American Evan Jager.
The hurdle final had just begun and there was still a crowded 50m yard to get past the first hurdle of the race when a very unexpected one popped up.
Halfway through the finish line, the entire final suddenly gave way to a photographer who had completely missed the start of the race and instead focused entirely on filming the final three-stage stage that was taking place.
Contestants buzz on either side of the unsuspecting TV photographer.
“Some Tour de France”
– Nice runners I have to say, it was like the Tour de France when it came to a roundabout, they just rounded it up. He says they must have been quite surprised when there was a photographer on the way Christian Olson and SVT.
Evan Geiger, who reached the American finals, was glad that the photographer was still standing.
– I was a bit worried that it would give way in some direction at the last minute. But luckily he didn’t realize we were there until we got past him, he told the New York Times.
Then the race became a very tactical story. At 400 metres, the field was assembled and then the race exploded. Lamecha Germa tried to break the pace from the lead, but Moroccan Soufiane El Bakkali was too strong on the last ditch and took an easy win. Girma took the silver for Ethiopia and Conscilus Kipruto of Kenya took the bronze.