Barthurst 2023: Cherotich, Kipkorir expected to put a statement across in junior category

Faith Cherotich, who has already won a world U20 title on the track, is now aiming for a global gold medal on another continent, this time in Australia.

The 18-year-old became a household name when she earned bronze in the steeplechase at the 2021 World U20 Championships.

One year later, she was a much-improved athlete and won gold in an incredible fashion at the 2022 edition of the event, winning the steeplechase title by 14 seconds in 9:16.14.

She carried that momentum into the season's final three races, improving her personal best to 9:09.63 in Brussels and 9:06.14 at the Wanda Diamond League Final in Zurich to finish third.

She finished her track season in Zagreb by setting a Kenyan U20 mile record of 4:28.97. She won the U20 women's race at Kenya's World Cross Trials in December, finishing 17 seconds ahead of her nearest competitor.

Bathurst 2023: Kamworor leads a strong Kenyan contigent

Nancy Cherop, the world U20 3000m bronze medalist, is also among Kenya’s medal hopes, along with world U20 steeplechase fifth-place finisher Pamela Kosgei and Joyline Chepkemoi.

U2O Men: Cheruiyot aims at regaining the crown for Kenya

It has been more than a decade since a Kenyan athlete won the U20 men's title, but they may be able to quench their thirst in Australia on Saturday.

The 2019 World Cross was the first meeting since 1984 that a Kenyan athlete did not finish on the U20 men's podium, and Kenya did not finish in the top two in the team standings, so this year's squad, led by Ishmael Kirui and Reynold Kipkorir Cheruiyot will make sure that doesn't repeat itself.

Kirui easily won Kenya's trial race in December of last year, despite only turning 18 earlier this month. He has already represented Kenya at the senior level, finishing sixth in the 5000m at the African Championships last year.

This will be his first race outside of Africa, and possibly his first cross-country race at sea level, but he will be used to running in the kind of heat that is expected on race day, and show that he has remarkable endurance as well as great footwork.

Bathurst 2023: Beatrice Chebet an unstoppable force in women's senior race

Dennis Kipkirui and Daniel Kinyanjui both of whom have international racing experience, are also on the Kenyan team.