The heir is here: Serem tears apart field to bag steeplechase gold
Kenya's Amos Serem celebrates after winning the men's 3,000 metres steeplechase final during the World Athletics Under-20 Championships at Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani on August 20, 2021.
What you need to know:
- He then sped off to the last hurdle, leaving Ethiopia's Tadese Takele for dead to win in eight minutes 30.72 seconds.
- Takele, who couldn't match Serem's kick at the home straight, settled for silver in 8:33.15 as Simon Koech confirmed Kenya's dominance in the event with bronze in 8:34.79.
A new steeplechase king is born!
Amos Serem Sunday destroyed the field to win the men's 3,000 metres steeplechase in ecstatic fashion at the ongoing World Athletics Under-20 Championship.
Serem brought back memories of steeplechase legend Ezekiel Kemboi, clearing the last water jump with bemusing ease before urging the small crowd at Kasarani to calm down.
Kenya's Amos Serem wins the men's 3,000 metres steeplechase final during the World Athletics Under-20 Championships at Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani on August 20, 2021.
He then sped off to the last hurdle, leaving Ethiopia's Tadese Takele for dead to win in eight minutes 30.72 seconds.
Takele, who couldn't match Serem's kick at the home straight, settled for silver in 8:33.15 as Simon Koech confirmed Kenya's dominance in the event with bronze in 8:34.79.
Serem said he broke to “Kemboi” dance just to celebrate his role model- two-time Olympic champion Ezekiel Kemboi and Kenyans as a whole.
Kenya's Simon Koech (left) and Amos Serem celebrate after winning bronze and gold in the men's 3,000 metres steeplechase final during the World Athletics Under-20 Championships at Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani on August 20, 2021.
“I look up to him and the other steeplechase greats like Patrick Sang since they have always inspired me. In fact, it’s Sang, who beseeched me to try out steeplechase,” said Serem, who was delighted to have recaptured the title from Ethiopia.
“I don’t know if I would have forgiven myself if we lost at home. It really bothered me and that is why I bolted out like the legendary Kemboi in the last 400m,” said Serem, hinting that he went to review the qualification races just to see how everyone ran.
“It gave me confidence since I saw where our rivals, especially Ethiopians, were weak. They didn’t handle the barriers well and for sure one can't afford to waste time at the barriers and water jumps,” added Serem.
