In-form Chepchirchir credits Emmanuel Wanyonyi after maintaining 2025 unbeaten streak
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Reading Time: 2min | Sat. 12.07.25. | 14:01
The 22-year-old will be chasing her first world medale in Tokyo later in September
Kenyan Olympian Nelly Chepchirchir maintained her undefeated record in 2025, winning the women’s 1000m at the Monaco Diamond League (DL) in 2:29.77, and went on to credit 800m superstar Emmanuel Wanyonyi.
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Up against a stellar field that included 1500m Olympic silver medalist Jessica Hull, the Kenyan, no doubt inspired by the recent record-breaking feats of compatriots Faith Kipyegon and Beatrice Chebet, sat back in the field during the early stages, allowing Hull to take the leading spot behind the pacemaker.
Chepchirchir moved up in the second half and took the lead just before the 800m mark, reached in 1:58.41, still inside world record pace.
The record, however, slipped out of her grasp in the final stages, but Chepchirchir pulled away from the field to win in a personal best (PB).
USA's Addison Wiley and Australia's Hull ran national records, clocking 2:30.71 for the American mark and 2:30.96, an Oceania record, respectively.
“I ran my own race today, and I am happy the way I did it,” the Kenyan said. “I set my own pace, which let me run my PB and improve my time from Silesia last year.”
The 22-year-old opened her season with a 4:23.99-mile victory at the Adizero: Road to Records in April. In May, she won the 1500m race at the Doha DL in a time of 4:05.00.
She won the next race in Rabat, dropping a 3:58.04 before lowering that to 3:57.02 in June in Paris.
“I train with Emmanuel Wanyonyi and also with marathon runners. The team helps me a lot to improve myself,” the youngster opened up on her winning streak this year.
With the Tokyo World Championships two months away, Chepchichir is targeting a place in Team Kenya, where she is looking to make amends and improve on her fifth-place finish from Budapest in 2023.
“I will compete next at the Kenyan trails, which are very competitive. I believe I can make the Tokyo team,” she went on.
In Friday’s race, Chepchirchir dragged the rest of the field to either a national, or area record, season best or PB, with the second and third place finishers setting area records.
“It was a great one. I ran my race, and that’s why I won. I am happy to have pushed the rest of the field to better times as it gives me confidence as the season unfolds,” she continued.
