Simon Ayeko finished fourth in the 3000m steeplechase after clocking a personal best of 8:25.87 at the Liege Athletics Meet in Belgium yesterday evening. Ayeko finished behind trio Moroccan Hicham Sigueni, Kenyan Nelson Kipkogei and German Steffen Ulickza who crossed the water jump race finish line in that pecking order. The feat however, did not earn him a slot at the London Olympic games.
Atlthough the time Ayeko ran was below the London Olympic qualifying standard B (8:32.00), he was still short of the required A target of 8:23.10. Ayeko needed to beat the latter mark because already two Ugandans Benjamin Kiplagat and Jacob Araptany have already qualified in the A class, according to the IAAF rules.
3000m steeplechase Men
1. Hicham Sigueni (Morocco) 8:21.78
2. Nelson Kipkogei (Kenya) 8:22.24
3. Steffen Uliczka (Germany) 8:22.93
4. Simon Ayeko (Uganda) 8:25.87