New Zealand’s Geordie Beamish couldn’t advance to the final of the 3000m steeplechase today, finishing only 7th in his heat when he needed a top 5 finish to progress.
Beamish was timed at 8min 25.86s, just over half a second behind the fifth placegetter.
The 27-year-old Beamish went into the race under a cloud because he’s suffered from a hip injury since May and has had to severely restrict his training schedule.
“I haven’t been able to do barriers, or really stride out. I’ve been able to do some running with pain, and then have to take days off. I was hoping that the fitness I’d built up till May might help me get through.
“I just didn’t have it tonight. For the last six to eight weeks, I wasn’t even sure I’d get to the start line, but I wanted to give it a go. Once it got to the sprint, I wasn’t able to compete with those guys. I really struggled on the barriers.”
Beamish at his best is a fine international runner – he won the world indoor 1500m title earlier this year. It’s disappointing that he and Sam Tanner, New Zealand’s other leading middle-distance runner, both had injury woes in their lead-up to Paris and weren’t able to run to their full ability.