Kenya wins 3,000m steeplechase gold, silver in Peru
Kenyans Edmund Serem and Mathew Kosgei celebrate after winning gold and silver in the men's 3,000m steeplechase at the World Athletics Under-20 Championships in Lima, Peru on September 1, 2024.
What you need to know:
- The race saw the two Kenyans exchange leads before Serem took charge in the last 300m and led to the tape.
- On June 23, Serem won silver at the Africa Athletics Championships in Douala, Cameroon with Kosgei settling for a bronze medal.
Kenya bagged two more medals in the 3,000m steeplechase men’s on the last day of the World Athletics Under-20 Championships in Lima, Peru.
Edmund Serem reclaimed the title won by his brother at the 2021 edition in Nairobi in a Championship lead time of 8:15.28 ahead of his compatriot Mathew Kosgei, who clocked a personal best of 8:17.46, while Ethiopia’s Hailu Ayalew settled for third place also in a personal best of 8:24.08.
The race saw the two Kenyans exchange leads before Serem took charge in the last 300m and led to the tape.
On June 23, Serem won silver at the Africa Athletics Championships in Douala, Cameroon with Kosgei settling for a bronze medal.
In a post-race interview, Serem said it was a dream come true to win gold in a global championship. He paid tribute to his coaches led by Patrick Sang and Robert Ngisirei for the support and good programme.
“We can now be named as a steeplechase family because I have reclaimed what my brother Amos bagged in 2021 and I’m so happy because the results came due to pure hard work and being focused on the prize. My father has been motivating me so much to follow in the footsteps of my brother," said Serem.
And as a captain, Serem said that the team did well and have a reason to work hard and focus on the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games.
Kosgei said he was so happy with the silver due to the stiff competition witnessed in the race.
“I appreciate my friend Serem for encouraging me to hang on and I have to continue training for the next assignments because I have finished the junior event. I know my father is a happy man because he asked me to work hard and I have delivered,” said Kosgei.
In the men’s 1,500m , Kenya’s Josphat Kipkirui finished fourth after clocking 3:43.20 in a race won by Ethiopia’s Abdisa Fayisa who clocked 3:40.51 with Australia’s Cameron Myers bagging silver in 3:60.60. At the same time, Spanish Alex Pintado settled for a bronze medal in 3:41.03.
In the women’s 1,500m, Kenya missed out on the medals after Mary Nyaboke finished a distant 10th after clocking 4:22.60 with her compatriot Miriam Chemutai Kibet finishing in 14th place in a race won by Ethiopia’s Saron Berhe in 4:16.64.
Canada’s Rachel Forsyth came in second place timing 4:17.94, while Germany’s Jolanda Kallabis sealed the podium positions in 4:19.34.
