Belgrade 2022: No medals for Kenya on first day as Chebet and Jebitok stumble in 3000m final

Kenya's hopes for a medal on the first day of the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Belgrade were tied to the duo of Beatrice Chebet and Edna Jebitok, but unfortunately, they finished 10th and 14th respectively in the women's 3000m final while USA’s Elinor Purrier St. Pierre squeezed in between Ethiopia’s Lemlem Hailu and Ejagyehu Taye who won the gold and bronze medals.

Beatrice Chebet debuted well in her first championship as a senior athlete and it was obvious from the start that her plan was not to allow the trio of Dawit Seyaum, Ejgayehu Taye, and Lemlem Hailu to get to far behind. In fact, Chebet even took the lead early in the race, but soon Seyaum and Taye took the first two places and kept the tempo up.

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Chebet was calm and avoided a few pushes from the Ethiopian rivals and managed to keep up between second and third place without letting Taye get too far away. On the other hand, Jebitok, who decided, in coordination with Athletics Kenya to participate only in the 3000 meters and not 1500 failed to make any significant impact during the race. She moved outside the lane from the start and was among the top 7 during the race and it looked at some point that he had a strategy, but when the race got quicker, he just lost the pace and finished in a disappointing 14th place.

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“It was good, although the Ethiopians tried to block me, but that’s how it is. I hope next time I will perform well,” said Chebet to Mozzart Sport just after the race, while Jebitok was not in a mood for any comments.