Kenya out to end World U20 Championships on a high
Kenya's Simon Koech (right) clears a hurdle ahead of Ethiopia's Samuel Firewu in Heat 1 of the men's 3,000 metres steeplechase during the World Athletics Under-20 Championships at Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani on August 20, 2021.
What you need to know:
- Maurine Cherotich and Zena Jeptoo will be hoping to inherit the women’s 5,000m title from Beatrice Chebet
- Amos Serem and Simon Kiprop Koech are out to reclaim the men’s 3,000m steeplechase crown Kenya lost to Ethiopia in 2018 in Tampere
- Purity Chepkirui and Winnie Jemutai have been strategising on how they will return the women’s 1,500m title to Kenya after almost a decade
Kenya expects to sign off with medals in women’s 5,000m, men’s 3,000m steeplechase and women’s 1,500m when the 18th edition of the World Athletics Under-20 Championships ends Sunday.
Maurine Cherotich and Zena Jeptoo will be hoping to inherit the women’s 5,000m title from Beatrice Chebet, who ended Ethiopia’s many years of dominance in the race. They had won five previous editions.
Amos Serem and Simon Kiprop Koech are out to reclaim the men’s 3,000m steeplechase crown Kenya lost to Ethiopia in 2018 in Tampere.
It’s Takele Nigate, who beat Kenya’s Leonard Bett to the title in Tampere with the Kenyan settling for silver. Kenya had only missed winning the title during the inaugural 1986 Championships in Athens.
Purity Chepkirui and Winnie Jemutai have been strategising on how they will return the women’s 1,500m title to Kenya after almost a decade.
Olympic 1,500m champion Faith Chepng'etich is the last Kenyan to win the title in 2012 Barcelona, Spain.
Kenya's Winnie Jemutai celebrates after finishing second in Heat 1 of the women's 1,500 metres semi-finals during the World Athletics Under-20 Championships at Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani on August 20, 2021.
Cherotich, who won the Kenyan trials in 15:44.0 followed by Jeptoo in 15:46.2, face strong Ethiopian challenge of Mizan Alem and Medina Eisa in the 5,000m final.
Alem clocked a World U-20 lead of 14:46.20 to finish eighth at the Ethiopian Olympic Trials in Hengelo in June, while Eisa wasn’t far behind that day, finishing 10th in 14:59.53.
Chesang from Uganda will double up, having run 15:05.39 this year. The European challenge is led by Spain’s Carla Dominguez and Poland’s Oliwia Wawrzyniak.
Serem and Koech warmed up to the final winning their respective heats in 8:29.98 and 8:52.43 but they face solid challenge from Ethiopians Samuel Firewu and Tadese Takele, and Erirea’s Simon Behrahtu.
“It is a competitive race and we have seen what our opponents from Ethiopia can do. We have a plan and our target is to go for the medals,” said Serem, who hails from Kaptagat, Elgeyo Marakwet County.
Kenya's Simon Koech (right) clears a hurdle ahead of Ethiopia's Samuel Firewu in Heat 1 of the men's 3,000 metres steeplechase during the World Athletics Under-20 Championships at Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani on August 20, 2021.
Koech is banking on teamwork to deliver a 1-2 feat for Kenya. “We are going to redeem our name through this race and Kenyans should not worry,” said Koech, who trains in Silibwet in Bomet County.
“We have plan on how to deliver victory this time around since nine years is a long time,” said Chepkirui with Jemutai expressing her desire to finish on the podium. “We have stayed for long since we held the crown. I am sure Chepng’etich will be happy if the title returns home,” said Jemutai.
