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Faith Cherotich, Winfred Yavi head to potentially-explosive steeplechase race
Kenya's Faith Cherotich (left) and Winfred Yavi of Bahrain sprint to the finish line during the women's 3000m steeplechase race at the Doha Diamond League on May 16, 2025.
What you need to know:
- All indicators point to a potentially-explosive final clash between Cherotich and Bahrain’s Yavi.
- Cherotich has stepped out of Yavi’s shadow with some jaw-dropping performances this season.
In Tokyo
The stage is set for a potentially-explosive meeting in women’s 3,000 metres steeplechase on Monday between world and Olympic bronze medalist Faith Cherotich of Kenya, reigning world and Olympic champion, Kenyan-born Bahraini Winfred Yavi Mutile, and 2024 Olympic Games champion Peruth Chemutai from Uganda.
In other races planned for Monday, 2019 men’s 1,500m world champion Timothy Cheruiyot of Kenya and his team mate Reynold Cheruiyot will compete in the semi-final heats of the race from 3:30pm (Kenyan time).
Cherotich, who won bronze medal in women’s steeplechase at the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest behind eventual winner Yavi and former champion Beatrice Chepkoech of Kenya, begins her quest to reclaim the women’s 3,000m steeplechase title for Kenya at the 2025 World Athletics Championships on Monday.
Also in the mix is 2020 Olympic Games gold medalist, Peruth Chemutai of Uganda.
The final of the water and barriers race will be held from 9:55am (Kenyan time) on Monday at Tokyo National Stadium. But Cherotich, her Kenyan team mates, Yavi, and Chemutai will first need to navigate through the semi-final heats from 4:30am.
Given their red-hot form, all indicators point to a potentially-explosive final clash between Cherotich and Bahrain’s Yavi.
Kenya's Faith Cherotich celebrates with second placed Winfred Yavi of Bahrain after winning the women's 3000m steeplechase race at the Doha Diamond League on May 16, 2025.
Cherotich, who has a personal best time of 8 minutes, 48.71 seconds, will compete in the first semi-final heat from 4:30am alongside her team mate Cellestine Biwott (99:17:06), Kenyan-born Kazakhstani Norah Jeruto (8:53:02), and Ethiopia’s Alemnat Walle (9:06:88), among other athletes.
Defending champion Yavi, who has a personal best time of 8:4.39, will compete in the second semi-final heat alongside Kenya’s Pamella Kosgei (9:15.93), among others, from 4:43am.
Kenya’s Doris Lemngole (8:58.15) will compete in the third semi-final heat from 4.54am alongside Kenyan-born Kazakhstani Daisy Jepkemei (9:06.66), former world champion Chemuitai (8:48.03) from Uganda from 4.56am.
Having played bridesmaid to Yavi both at the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest and at the 2024 Olympics in Paris, Cherotich has stepped out of Yavi’s shadow with some jaw-dropping performances this season.
Cherotich, nick-named ‘Last Born’ by her Kenyan team mates, has dominated this season’s Diamond League races and won the final staged in Zurich on August 27 and 28.
She registered her personal best time of 8:48.71 from her victory in Prefontaine Classic Diamond League in July. That time is also the season best time.
On paper, Cherotich is the fastest athlete in the field. However, Yavi has prevailed against her in all the championship races they have competed in.
