Kenya’s athletics heritage in the steeplechase and 1,500-meter run — once the nation’s pride — is on the cusp of a rebirth thanks to two young stars: Edmund Serem and Phanuel Koech.
Both have been short-listed for the 2025 World Athletics Men’s Rising Star Award and have rekindled hope that Kenya will soon reclaim its dominance on the global stage.
For over half a century, Kenya reigned supreme in the 3,000-metre steeplechase. This race has been synonymous with the nation’s prowess since Amos Biwott won the gold medal at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics.
Greats such as Moses Kiptanui, Ezekiel Kemboi, Brimin Kipruto, and Conseslus Kipruto carried the torch. However, since 2019, Kenya has struggled to maintain its grip. The drought began at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, where Benjamin Kigen’s bronze medal was the best the country could achieve.
Consenslus Kipruto gave the country its 11th title at the Rio Olympic Games after upstage Ezekiel Kemboi who won bronze at men's 3000m steeplechase in Rio. PHOTO | AFP
Now, 18-year-old Serem, the world steeplechase bronze medallist, believes the tide is turning. Speaking to Nation Sports after being nominated for the World Athletics award, Serem expressed confidence that Kenya’s glory days could return through discipline, teamwork, and smart training.
“My season was good, but I know there is more work ahead,” he said.
“We can reclaim the title through hard work and focus. It’s achievable if we train well and support each other.”
Serem finished third at the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo, Japan, with a time of 8:34.56. New Zealand’s Geordie Beamish won the race with a time of 8:33.88, and Morocco’s Soufiane El Bakkali finished second with a time of 8:33.95. This performance earned Serem global attention and a nomination for the Men’s Rising Star Award by World Athletics.
The steeplechase prodigy has already begun preparing for next year’s Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland. His longer-term goals include the 2027 World Championships in Beijing, China, and the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, California. He plans to improve his performance by competing in Diamond League meetings.
“Diamond League races are ideal for testing your limits,” he noted. “You have pacemakers and wave lights to help you achieve personal bests. My goal is to improve with each race and bring home the gold for Kenya.”
Serem’s nomination alongside another fast-rising middle-distance runner, Phanuel Koech, underscores the emergence of a new generation poised to continue Kenya’s legacy.
Phanuel Kipkosgei Koech, who competes in 1,500m, trains at Eliud Kipchoge Sports Complex in Kapsabet, Nandi County on July 30, 2025.
Photo credit: Jared Nyataya | Nation Media Group
Eighteen-year-old Koech has been lighting up the track in the 1,500-metre race, which was once dominated by Kenyans such as Asbel Kiprop, Elijah Manangoi, and Timothy Cheruiyot.
Training with the 2Running Athletics Club in Kapsabet, Nandi County, Koech says that his inclusion among the Rising Star Award finalists is the result of perseverance and belief.
“Last season taught me a lot,” said Koech.
“I fell during the heats at the World Championships, but I took it as a lesson. My focus now is to improve, get back stronger, and help Kenya dominate the race again,” he explained.
An alumnus of St Francis Kimuron High School in Elgeyo Marakwet.—a breeding ground for 800-metre stars like David Rudisha and Emmanuel Korir—Koech’s story is one of promise and purpose. His teachers first spotted his potential in the 800-metre race, which became his entry point into competitive athletics.
In May 2024, he won gold for Kenya at the International School Sport Federation (ISF) Cross Country Championships in Nairobi, establishing himself as a star. He went on to represent Kenya at the World Under-20 Championships in Lima, Peru, where he finished fifth in the 800-metre race with a personal best time of 1:47.46
Koech says his long-term dream is to stand atop the global podium. “I want to be part of the generation that restores Kenya’s reputation in the 1,500-metre race. We’ve had legends before us, and it is our time to carry that torch forward.”
Serem and Koech embody the resilience of Kenya’s athletic tradition: they are young, fearless, and determined to learn from past struggles. Their presence at the 2025 World Athletics Awards in Monaco on November 30 recognises their individual brilliance and symbolises Kenya’s renewed ambition.
The awards will also honour other categories, including Coaching Achievement, Woman of the Year, Photograph of the Year, Member Federation, and President’s Awards.
As the world prepares to celebrate these rising stars, Kenya’s hope for a strong future in distance running rests firmly on the shoulders of Serem and Koech, two teenagers ready to restore a golden legacy.
Their message to Kenya’s athletics faithful is simple yet powerful: The future is not lost. It is training hard in Kapsabet and Eldoret, dreaming big, and running toward history.
