By Paul Osborne at the Main Press Centre in Incheon
Ruth Jebet was finally able to collect her gold medal after winning the women's 3,000-metre steeplechase in last night's athletics competition here at the Asian Games, only to have it taken away from her.
Ruth Jebet was finally able to collect her gold medal after winning the women's 3,000-metre steeplechase in last night's athletics competition here at the Asian Games, only to have it taken away from her.The Kenyan-born runner, who has represented Bahrain since February last year, decimated the field on the track of the Incheon Asiad Main Stadium in what was the final gold medal event of the evening.
Despite finishing four seconds clear of her nearest rival, China's Li Zhenzhu, with an Asian Games record of 9 minutes, 31.36 seconds, the Bahraini was disqualified from the competition for stepping outside of the barrier on the final bend of the penultimate lap.
Instead of being told prior to or after the original medal ceremony, the 17-year-old was told of her disqualification mere seconds before collecting the gold medal, with the bronze and silver medals already having been given to the second and third placed finishers.
On the announcement, Jebet was carried off in tears, only for the next morning to be told that her infringement did not warrant a disqualification.
"I was waiting for the gold," she said of her initial disqualification.
"I was quite shocked because I wasn't even aware of the mistake."
Under International Association of Athletics Federations rules, an athlete may step outside of the barrier on a bend, only if the athlete "steps or runs outside his lane in the straight, any straight part of the diversion from the track for the steeplechase water jump or outside the outer line of his lane on the bend, with no material advantage thereby being gained and no other athlete being jostled or obstructed so as to impede his progress".
As Jebet was around four seconds clear when she stumbled and landed a foot outside of the lane barrier, officials decided that this gave her "no material advantage" and therefore re-declared her the gold medallist this morning.
Ruth Jebet was left dejected after initially being disqualified from the 3,000m steeplechase for stepping out of bounds ©Getty Images
On the decision, Bahrain Olympic Committee secretary general Abdulrahman Askar, told insidethegames that he was "shocked" with the original decision, which he called "unfair", while noting at the same time the performance of Jebet and her right to win the race and the gold medal.
Following the decision to reinstall Jebet as the Asian Games champion, Olympic Council of Asia games director Haider Farman told AFP: "The jury reviewed all of the protests by the three Olympic Committees and they confirmed that there was no violation of the rules and the gold medal will be given again to Bahrain runner Ruth Jebet."
He added: "They should have delayed the medal ceremony.
"A mistake happened between the protocol and the technical delegate and they did not delay it."
Before her disqualification, Jebet had been the third African-born runner of the night to claim gold in the colours of a wealthy Gulf state.
United Arab Emirates' Ethiopian import Alia Saeed Mohammed won the 10,000m and Qatar's Mohamad Al-Garni, originally from Morocco, took the men's 5,000m.
Ruth Jebet was one of three African-born runners to win gold for their adopted Asian nation's yesterday with Mohamad Al-Garni, originally from Morocco, winning gold for Qatar and United Arab Emirates’ Ethiopian import Alia Saeed Mohammed also securing a gold medal ©Getty Images
Jebet is the world junior champion in the 3,000m steeplechase having secured the title in Oregon, United States earlier this year.
Her time of 9:20.55 at the Championships was an Asian continental record and just 0.13 outside the world record.
Following her medal presentation today, Jebet said: "I'm happy to become a gold medallist because I had a problem yesterday.
"But I fought for my king."
Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]
Related stories
September 2014: Qatar and United Arab Emirates win distance-running titles as athletics action begins at Incheon 2014
Despite finishing four seconds clear of her nearest rival, China's Li Zhenzhu, with an Asian Games record of 9 minutes, 31.36 seconds, the Bahraini was disqualified from the competition for stepping outside of the barrier on the final bend of the penultimate lap.
Instead of being told prior to or after the original medal ceremony, the 17-year-old was told of her disqualification mere seconds before collecting the gold medal, with the bronze and silver medals already having been given to the second and third placed finishers.
On the announcement, Jebet was carried off in tears, only for the next morning to be told that her infringement did not warrant a disqualification.
"I was waiting for the gold," she said of her initial disqualification.
"I was quite shocked because I wasn't even aware of the mistake."
Under International Association of Athletics Federations rules, an athlete may step outside of the barrier on a bend, only if the athlete "steps or runs outside his lane in the straight, any straight part of the diversion from the track for the steeplechase water jump or outside the outer line of his lane on the bend, with no material advantage thereby being gained and no other athlete being jostled or obstructed so as to impede his progress".
As Jebet was around four seconds clear when she stumbled and landed a foot outside of the lane barrier, officials decided that this gave her "no material advantage" and therefore re-declared her the gold medallist this morning.
Ruth Jebet was left dejected after initially being disqualified from the 3,000m steeplechase for stepping out of bounds ©Getty ImagesOn the decision, Bahrain Olympic Committee secretary general Abdulrahman Askar, told insidethegames that he was "shocked" with the original decision, which he called "unfair", while noting at the same time the performance of Jebet and her right to win the race and the gold medal.
Following the decision to reinstall Jebet as the Asian Games champion, Olympic Council of Asia games director Haider Farman told AFP: "The jury reviewed all of the protests by the three Olympic Committees and they confirmed that there was no violation of the rules and the gold medal will be given again to Bahrain runner Ruth Jebet."
He added: "They should have delayed the medal ceremony.
"A mistake happened between the protocol and the technical delegate and they did not delay it."
Before her disqualification, Jebet had been the third African-born runner of the night to claim gold in the colours of a wealthy Gulf state.
United Arab Emirates' Ethiopian import Alia Saeed Mohammed won the 10,000m and Qatar's Mohamad Al-Garni, originally from Morocco, took the men's 5,000m.
Ruth Jebet was one of three African-born runners to win gold for their adopted Asian nation's yesterday with Mohamad Al-Garni, originally from Morocco, winning gold for Qatar and United Arab Emirates’ Ethiopian import Alia Saeed Mohammed also securing a gold medal ©Getty ImagesJebet is the world junior champion in the 3,000m steeplechase having secured the title in Oregon, United States earlier this year.
Her time of 9:20.55 at the Championships was an Asian continental record and just 0.13 outside the world record.
Following her medal presentation today, Jebet said: "I'm happy to become a gold medallist because I had a problem yesterday.
"But I fought for my king."
Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]
Related stories
September 2014: Qatar and United Arab Emirates win distance-running titles as athletics action begins at Incheon 2014
