The Kenyan men had won every steeple they competed in at the Olympics since man first walked on the moon. No longer.

The Olympic action got started this morning and it was full of drama as the US, Kenyan and Ethiopian champs in the men's steeple all failed to make the final. Benard Keter will be the only American in Monday’s steeple final but Canada has two guys in it. In the sprints, we learned the Tokyo track is FAST as in the women’s 100, 6 women broke 11, led by Marie Josee Ta Lou’s 10.78 African record.

Three women in the field have won global titles but none have ever won Olympic gold. This should be a great one. *Discuss

2016 medalists Conseslus Kipruto, Evan Jager, and Mahiedine Mekhissi-Benabbad are all absent, as is the 2019 Diamond League champ, Getnet Wale. Is this finally the year when Kenya's dominance (nine straight men's Olympic steeple titles) comes to an end?

As usual, Monaco is LOADED. Some of these fields are better than the Olympic final (men's 800) and you almost certainly won't find a two-hour stretch in Tokyo as good as this. Stars are everywhere (Karsten Warholm, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Trayvon Bromell...the list goes on). You need to watch this meet.

The fastest two Americans in history Evan Jager and Stanley Kebenei have both scratched and Andy Bayer (#7 all time) is retired. That leaves Diamond League Hillary Bor as the favorite, but there is certainly space for the likes of Isaac Updike and Mason Ferlic who have both beaten Bor this year or newcomer Sean McGorty to make their first US team. And Benard Keter just beat McGorty.

The women's steeple has been the most predictable event at USAs in recent years. Will that continue in 2021, or will there be a changing of the guard? Colleen Quigley hasn't run a steeple since 2019.

At the 1995 Weltklasse Zürich meet, Moses Kiptanui became the first man under 8:00 in the steeplechase and Haile Gebrselassie took over 10 seconds off the 5,000m world record.  It was the Golden Age of one of Europe's finest meets. A quarter century later, those who were there reflect on the famous night.

One week before the 2003 Worlds, the planet's best runner, Stephen Cherono, changed his name to Saif Saaeed Shaheen and switched nationality from Kenya to Qatar. The steeplechase final pit Shaheen against his brother Abraham (still angry over the move) and a young Ezekiel Kemboi and culminated with a thrilling home-straight duel.

Emma Coburn and Donavan Brazier spoke before the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix.

The 6th annual world and US distance rankings are here and for the first time ever two Americans are #1 in the world in their events.

The good news is that while the event won't be held at the DL championship, it will officially be held at five regular season Diamond League meetings, up from four in 2019.

"When I heard Kenyans singing and cheering us up in the stadium, I suddenly got the energy to chase Girma to the finish line. I said I was not going to let them down. They gave me the motivation and I dedicate the gold medal to the fans,"

A big enthusiastic crowd, a world record, a hometown here, and a legend staying on top. Veteran journalist Elliott Denman put it best, "A great night for the sport of track and field."

This was a World Championships final for the ages won by .01 by Conseslus Kipruto.

Two years ago, Americans Emma Coburn and Courtney Frerichs shocked the world in London. Now the Kenyans, led by WR holder Beatrice Chepkoech, are out for revenge.

Getnet Wale edged Soufiane El Bakkali in the steeple and was judged not to have obstructed him as Timothy Cheruiyot won his third straight DL 1500 crown. Lyles (19.74) and Norman (44.26) made it a US sweep in the sprints.

Rai Benjamin and Karsten Warholm square off for the first time in the men's 400 hurdles while Dalilah Muhammad faces Sydney McLaughlin in the women's 400 hurdles. Plus a battle of WR holders in the women's 1500 and Justin Gatlin vs. Noah Lyles in the men's 100.

Two final regular season DL of the season looks like a dandy as two Olympic champs will return to the DL after a long hiatus. Plus will Jakob or Filip Ingebrigtsen win their first DL 1500?

Shelby Houlihan looks to have Jenny Simpson number. Recap, analysis, video of race.