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Battling Edmund Serem secures bronze for Kenya in men’s 3,000m steeplechase
Kenya's Edmund Serem celebrates winning bronze medal in the men's 3000m steeplechase final during the World Athletics Championships at the National Stadium in Tokyo on September 15, 2025.
What you need to know:
- The 17-year-old Serem shifted gears late in the race, coming from a long way behind for the bronze medal.
- The second Kenyan in the final, Abraham Kibiwott, who claimed bronze in 2023 Budapest, failed to finish.
Edmund Serem, handed Kenya their third medal at the World Athletics Championships, winning bronze in the men’s 3,000m steeplechase at the National Stadium, Tokyo, Japan on Monday.
The 17-year-old Serem shifted gears late in the race, coming from a long way behind for the bronze medal in 8:34.56 from a bunches sprint on the home stretch as the world title proved elusive to Kenyans once again.
World indoor 1,500 metres champion Geordie Beamish from New Zealand took the gold medal, stunning defending champion Moroccan Soufiana El Bakkali on the line.
Geordie Beamish (centre) of New Zealand celebrates winning the gold medal in the men's 3000m steeplechase final with silver medallist Soufiane El Bakkali (right) of Morocco and bronze medallist Edmund Serem of Kenya during the World Athletics Championships at the National Stadium in Tokyo on September 15, 2025.
Beamish eased past El Bakkali with less than 30m to go and held him off to cross the line in 8:33.88 and hand his country their maiden steeplechase title. A shell-shocked El Bakkali, who won gold in 2022 Eugene and 2023 Budapest, took silver in 8:33.95.
The second Kenyan in the final, Abraham Kibiwott, who claimed bronze in 2023 Budapest, failed to finish.
It is El Bakkal who ended Kenya’s firm grip on the steeplechase crown, winning it in the 2022 Oregon and 2023 Budapest editions. The Moroccan also won the 2021 Tokyo and 2024 Paris Olympic Games titles.
Kenya won men’s steeplechase gold from 1991 to 2019 save for the 2003 and 2005 editions that were won by Kenya-born Qatari Saif Saaeed Shaheen. Consenslus Kipruto was the last Kenyan to win the world title, after getting his second successive gold in 2019 Doha.
