Chespol fights for country’s honour in ‘Kenyan’ affair

The women’s 3,000m steeplechase final will literally be a “Kenyan” affair.

Sample this. Kenyan-born duo of Kazakhstan’s Norah Jeruto and Bahraini Winfred Yavi are among favourites to win this year’s title that will be decided from 5.45am Thursday (Kenyan time) at the 25,000-capacity Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon.

There is also Kenya’s Celliphine Chespol. She won the world under-20- titles in 2016 Bydgoszcz and 2018 Tampere. Can she stop her former compatriots?

Chespol, the 2018 Africa 3,000m steeplechase silver medallist, is the only Kenyan in the final.

The reigning world under-20 3,000m steeplechase Jackline Chepkoech stunningly fell in the heats alongside 2014 Commonwealth Games champion Purity Kirui.

Defending champion Kenyan Beatrice Chepkoech from Kenya withdrew with an injury.

Besides Jeruto, 26 and Yavi, 22, the only athletes in the field with sub nine minutes times this season, Chespol, 23, will also battle Olympic champion Peruth Chemutai from Uganda, 2017 world champion Emma Coburn from United States and another home athlete, Tokyo Olympics silver medallist Courtney Frerichs.

“Jeruto and Yavi are strong. You can never underrate Peruth. Coburn and Frerichs will be at home. There is pressure, but I am ready,” said Chespol.

Ethiopian Mekides Abebe, the 20-year-old who was fourth in the Olympic final last year, and compatriot Werkuha Gatechew are also persons of interest.

There have been different winners since the advent of women’s steeplechase at the World Athletics Championships in 2005 Helsinki.

However, Kenyans have had the lion’s share of victories in the last eight editions, winning three of them via Milcah Chemos (2013), Hyvin Kiyeng (2015) and Beatrice Chepkoech (2019).

Chespol will be eager to join that list of Kenyan greats.

After her stunning victory in Tokyo last year, Chemutai will be looking to become the only other athlete to hold both the Olympic and world women’s steeplechase titles after Habiba Ghribi.

The Tunisian won the world title in 2011 Daegu and Olympic title the following year in London.

In other raced involving Kenyans, Olympic champion Emmanuel Korir will lead his compatriots, world under-20 800m champion Emmanuel Wanyonyi, Commonwealth Games champion Wycliffe Kinyamal and World Indoor silver medallist Noah Kibet in men’s 800m heats.

With the World 5,000m champion Hellen Obiri back in Kenya, the chase is wide open for the crown with Kenya’s 2019 world 5,000m bronze medallist Margaret Chelimo leading the assault in the semi-finals.

Beatrice Chebet and Gloria Kite are the other Kenyans in the 5,000m heats.