Amos Serem of Kenya topple multiple Olympics and world champion, Soufiane El Bakkali of Morocco, in men’s 3,000 metres steeplechase final, as world 800m champion, Mary Moraa, reclaimed her Diamond League Trophy in Brussels Diamond League finals that started Friday night in the Belgian capital city.
Serem, who ran one of the best races in his career, stunned the Moroccan, who had not been defeated since September 2021, in eight minutes and 06.90 seconds for his maiden Diamond League Trophy.
Kenyans had painfully watched as El Bakkali ended their dominance both at the Olympics, and at the World Athletics Championships, the Moroccan winning at the 2021 Tokyo Olympic Games, and at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
In a show of total dominance, the Moroccan also swept world titles in 2022 in Eugene, USA, and in 2023 in Budapest.
Kenya's Amos Serem celebrates winning the men's 3000m steeplechase final at Brussels Diamond League in King Baudouin Stadium on September 13, 2024.
Photo credit: Reuters
On Friday night, however, Serem ended years of heartbreak for Kenya, the 2021 World Athletics Under-20 Championship winner triumphing in Brussels, then breaking into a jig that had become synonymous with legendary steeplechaser, Ezekiel Kemboi.
"I really felt great today. I believed I could but I didn't expect it to come so soon because I was competing against an Olympic and World champion, but I won," Serem said, adding that he is happy to close the season and hope to return next year in much better shape.
El Bakkali had to contend with a second place in 8:08.60, as Mohamed Amin Jhinaoui of Tunisia took third place in 8:09.68.
Kenya lost its grip in men’s steeplechase in the Olympics for the first time in 37 years when El Bakkali struck in the 2020 edition of the Games held in Tokyo.
The Moroccan also took the world title in Eugene in 2023, ending Kenya's 15-year stranglehold in the water and barriers race.
Not only did Moraa, who had settled for bronze at the 2024 Paris Olympics over a month ago, recapture the Diamond League trophy she won last for the first time in 2022, but she also did it in season-best time of 1:56.56.
It was also Moraa's third Diamond League victory this season after she triumphed in Lausanne (1:57.91) and Zurich (1:58.08).
"I am happy to get the trophy back after I lost it last year. The competition was hard and that is why I am happy and proud of myself for getting it back," said Moraa, who wanted a faster time in Brussels but the dump conditions curtailed it.
Moraa, the reigning Commonwealth Games 800m champion and 600m world record holder, edged out Briton Georgia Bell to second place in 1:57.50 as Jamaican Natoya Goule-Toppin came third in 1:58.94.
Kenya's Mary Moraa celebrates winning the women's 800m final at Brussels Diamond League in King Baudouin Stadium on September 13, 2024.
Photo credit: Reuters
Moraa, who has personal best 1:56.03 in 800m, said her dream to run sub 1:55 in still on course and next year will be the opportune time.
Kenya's 2019 world 1,500m champion, Timothy Cheruiyot, came close but the Olympic Games 1,500m champion Jakob Ingebrigsten yet again proved untouchable in men's 1,500m final.
Olympic 10,000m and 5,000m champion Beatrice Chebet, Olympic 1,500m champion, Faith Kipyegon, and Olympic 3,000m steeplechase bronze medallist, Faith Cherotich, will take the track on Saturday in their respective race finals.
