The official race distance of the Olympic men’s steeplechase is 3000 metres.
The event combines distance running with barriers and a water jump. Runners complete 28 ordinary barrier jumps and seven water jumps during the standard 3000-metre race, for a total of 35 obstacles. Unlike hurdles, steeplechase barriers are solid and do not fall when struck, so athletes often step on them rather than clearing them cleanly.
The water jump is positioned inside or outside the track depending on the stadium layout. Its barrier stands before a landing area that slopes upward from the water, making the jump’s difficulty depend partly on where an athlete lands. The event developed from an older British cross-country race inspired by horseback steeplechasing. It appeared at the Olympics in 1920, while the women’s 3000-metre steeplechase was later replaced by the 2000-metre event before the women’s Olympic distance became 3000 metres in 2008.