Who was the first athlete to run a 3000 metre steeplechase in under 8 minutes?

Moses Kiptanui (born October 1, 1970 in Marakwet District, Kenya) is a middle and long distance athlete mostly famous for 3,000 m steeplechase in which he was the number one ranked athlete from 1991 to 1995 and three time IAAF World Champion.

In 1995 he broke the 5000m world record in Rome in a time of 12:55.30 min (June 8). After collecting his third World Championship gold medal in Gothenburg he also set the new 3000m steeplechase record in Zurich in a time of 7:59.18 min (August 16), the first man in history to ever dip under eight minutes for the 3000m steeplechase.