‘Disappointed’ Geordie Beamish fails to fire in Commonwealth Games 3000m steeplechase

Tuesday, 28 July 2026

For once at a major athletics championships, Kiwi upset specialist Geordie Beamish could not find the finishing kick when he needed it.

Beamish was unable to match the hot pace of the Kenyans, who scooped the medals, in Tuesday’s (NZT) straight final of the 3000 metres steeplechase on the opening night of the Commonwealth Games athletics meet in Glasgow, fading to a “disappointing” fourth in a slowly run race.

The result, and Beamish’s downbeat reaction after, immediately cast some doubt on his prospects of backing up in the men’s mile, as he is scheduled to do alongside compatriot Sam Tanner. That gets under way with the opening round on Wednesday night.

The 29-year-old Colorado-based Hawke’s Bay athlete went into the steeples final considered a warm medal prospect. He is defending world champion in the event, after his stunning run for gold in Tokyo last year, and as a former world indoor champ over the 1500m it was thought he had the top-end speed to repeat his big-meet heroics.

But it was not to be as Beamish settled mid-field early and was unable to go with the Kenyans as they kicked clear over the final couple of laps. Eighteen-year-old Edmund Serem, a bronze medallist at last year’s world champs, upset the more hotly favoured Simon Koech to take the gold in 8 minutes 18.23 seconds, with the Monaco Diamond League race winner coming home second in 8:18.59.

Fellow Kenyan Leonard Bett was third in 8:21.63, with Beamish a distant fourth in 8:24.09. Beamish’s PB for the steeplechase is 8:09.64 and he had posted an 8:13 in 2026.

Asked his reaction post-race, Beamish told Sky Sports: “Just a bit of disappointment, to be honest. There was a good opportunity to compete at the front of that and I just didn’t have the legs today.”

Beamish said the race unfolded, with its small eight-athlete-field, as he expected, with the runners stretching out early.

For once at a major athletics championships, Kiwi upset specialist Geordie Beamish could not find the finishing kick when he needed it.

Beamish was unable to match the hot pace of the Kenyans, who scooped the medals, in Tuesday’s (NZT) straight final of the 3000 metres steeplechase on the opening night of the Commonwealth Games athletics meet in Glasgow, fading to a “disappointing” fourth in a slowly run race.

The result, and Beamish’s downbeat reaction after, immediately cast some doubt on his prospects of backing up in the men’s mile, as he is scheduled to do alongside compatriot Sam Tanner. That gets under way with the opening round on Wednesday night.

The 29-year-old Colorado-based Hawke’s Bay athlete went into the steeples final considered a warm medal prospect. He is defending world champion in the event, after his stunning run for gold in Tokyo last year, and as a former world indoor champ over the 1500m it was thought he had the top-end speed to repeat his big-meet heroics.

But it was not to be as Beamish settled mid-field early and was unable to go with the Kenyans as they kicked clear over the final couple of laps. Eighteen-year-old Edmund Serem, a bronze medallist at last year’s world champs, upset the more hotly favoured Simon Koech to take the gold in 8 minutes 18.23 seconds, with the Monaco Diamond League race winner coming home second in 8:18.59.

Fellow Kenyan Leonard Bett was third in 8:21.63, with Beamish a distant fourth in 8:24.09. Beamish’s PB for the steeplechase is 8:09.64 and he had posted an 8:13 in 2026.

Asked his reaction post-race, Beamish told Sky Sports: “Just a bit of disappointment, to be honest. There was a good opportunity to compete at the front of that and I just didn’t have the legs today.”

Beamish said the race unfolded, with its small eight-athlete-field, as he expected, with the runners stretching out early.