On his Olympic debut, Leonard Chemutai of Uganda qualified for the men’s 3000m steeplechase final with a season-best time of 8:18.19.
In Heat One at Stade de France on Monday night, Chemutai came in second place behind the current Moroccan champion, Soufiane El Bakkali.
In the Olympic Final on Wednesday at the Paris Games, the Ugandan will be vying for gold.
Leonard joins the late Benjamin Kiplagat, Jacob Araptany, and Albert Chemutai as the four male Ugandan steeplechasers to compete at the Olympics.
In July, in Douala, Uganda, the athlete won gold at the Africa Senior Athletics Championships.
Tarsis Orogot, another Olympic first-timer, advanced quickly to the men’s 200-meter semifinal, which is scheduled for this Wednesday.
Finishing 20.32 seconds ahead of Bahamas’ Wanya McCoy, Orogot won his Heat two.
