Hawke’s Bay runner Geordie Beamish’s dazzling world championship steeplechase run

A scintillating final lap earned Hawke’s Bay runner Geordie Beamish a brilliant fifth-place finish in the men’s steeplechase at the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary — a best-ever finish by a Kiwi man in a track event in the 40-year history of the championships.

The 26-year-old US-based athlete, who made his senior steeplechasing debut in only April this year and was competing in only his eighth 3000m steeplechase, showed his outstanding pedigree by crossing the line fifth in 8:13.46 — just 0.20 outside his national record set in Monaco last month.

To further underline the historic nature of his run, it was the best-ever steeplechase finish by a Kiwi at a global event (world championships and Olympics) surpassing the sixth-place finish Euan Robertson achieved at the 1976 Montreal Olympics.

Competing in his second world championships, Beamish, who hails from Havelock North, impressed in his first-round heat and given his impressive closing speed he would not have been disappointed by the relatively sedate early pace as the leader, Leonard Bett of Kenya, went through 1km in 2:50.41.

With the Kiwi happy to sit two-thirds of the way down field he became slightly detached from the leaders through 2km as world record-holder Lamecha Girma of Ethiopia stretched the field with a gradual injection of pace.

Showing great maturity, Beamish refused to panic and gradually started picking off athletes in front of him.

Eighth at the bell, he then launched his trademark kick and in a late burst of speed, overhauled three athletes on the last lap to claim a highly accomplished fifth-place finish.

His performance surpassed the previous best finish by a Kiwi man in a track race at a world championships by Nick Willis, who finished sixth in the 1500m final at the 2015 edition in Beijing.

Out front, gold went to Morocco’s Olympic champion Soufiane El Bakkali, who secured a successful defence of his world title in 8:03.53. Girma won a third successive world steeplechase silver in 8:05.44 with Kenyan Abraham Kibiwot (8:11.98) rounding out the podium in bronze.