The 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris have entered their final week, with plenty of events still on the docket for athletes representing their countries.
While the final equestrian event wrapped up on Tuesday, an event with a name that almost certainly makes viewers think of horses remains ahead in Paris.
Part of Track & Field, the 3,000-meter steeplechase is an obstacle course-like event with both men’s and women’s competition.
The race features 28 barriers, similar to hurdles, and seven water jumps throughout, requiring a large amount of strength, endurance and agility to traverse.
The 3,000-meter race is equivalent to 7.5 laps of track, with athletes given the ability to hurdle or step on obstacles, which cannot be bypassed.
The barriers and water jumps in the course are all fixed, meaning athletes can either jump over the barriers or step on them to get a longer jump.
The barriers used are 36 inches tall in men’s competition and 30 inches tall in women’s competition, while the water pit is 12 feet long and slopes from the barrier to the track level.
At its deepest point, the water pit is 50 centimeters, or 19.685 inches, deep.
The event’s name is derived from the horse racing event, in which horses must traverse over a set of obstacles and jump over fences.
Though women’s competition in the 3,000-meter steeplechase concluded on Tuesday with Winfred Yavi of Bahrain coming away with a gold medal, the men’s final is scheduled to take place on Wednesday, with Kenneth Rooks representing Team USA.