3,000 metres Steeplechase, Men

The two favorites were Sweden’s Anders Gärderud and Poland’s Bronisław Malinowski. Malinowski had won the 1974 European Championships while Gärderud twice set world records in 1975. The Kenyans were absent because of the African boycott, which deprived the event of Ben Jipcho, who had won the 1974 Commonwealth Games. The final is considered the greatest ever steeplechase at a major meet. Malinowski took the lead on the fourth lap, trying to break Gärderud’s vaunted sprint. Only Gärderud, Frank Baumgartl (GDR), and Tapio Kantanen (FIN) could maintain that pace. Kantanen fell off on the penultimate lap. Coming down the final straight Gärderud had pulled ahead, but Baumgartl was closing very quickly and looked placed to pull ahead. But Baumgartl caught the final barrier with his right knee and fell to the track .Malinowski was in third and had to hurdle not only the final barrier but also Baumgartl, lying on the track. Gärderud opened up to win in world record time (8:08.02). Baumgartl recovered to get the bronze medal behind Malinowski.