Jebet wins gold in 3000m steeplechase, finishes 1 second off world record

Bahrain’s Ruth Jebet won the gold medal Monday at the Summer Olympics in the women’s 3000m steeplechase with a time of 8:59.75, less than one second off Russian Gulnara Galkina’s world record.

The 19yearold Kenyanborn Jebet became a citizen of Bahrain in 2013.

Jebet was in the lead after the first 1000 meters, posting a time of 3:05.93, and had a time of 6:00.06 after 2000 meters, finishing the race eight seconds ahead of Kenyan world champion Hyvin Jepkemoi, who clocked in at 9:07.12.

In the third kilometer, Jebet had a comfortable lead of 20 meters over two Kenyans under a blazing sun and 65 percent humidity.

On the last lap, American Emma Coburn caught up to the two Kenyans and passed one of them, Beatrice Chepkoech, taking the bronze medal with a time of 9:07.63, a new American record.