WU20: Chelangat, Cherop, Kibathi, Mandela to lead Kenya's hunt for first medal on day one

3000m women's duo of Betty Chelangat and Nancy Cherop will be tasked with delivering Kenya's first medal at the World Athletics U20 Championship in Cali, Colombia on the first day.

The race will be the first final in Cali, with the Kenyans expected to battle with the Ethiopian pair of Tsiyon Abebe and Bertukan Welde.

15-year-old Abebe is the only one on the start list with a better season best than the Kenyans, having clocked 8:44.82 at the Wanda Diamond League meeting in Rabat at the start of June. Chelangat has managed 8:51.33 this season, with her compatriot Cherop doing 8:52.86.

The Kenyans will be looking to follow in the footsteps of their compatriot Teresiah Muthoni Gateri, who won the 3000m title for Kenya on home soil last year. The 3000m women final will kick off at 1 AM EAT on Tuesday morning.

Samuel Kibathi and Nelson Mandela will fly Kenyas flag in the men's 5000m final 25 minutes after the 3000m women's showpiece in a star-studded track.

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Fresh from competing in Oregon, Eritrea’s Merhawi Mebrahtu and Samuel Habtom together with Uganda’s Peter Maru will be part of the action in the 5000m final, having given a shot at the 10000m then.

Ethiopia’s Addisu Yihune, who finished fourth in Nairobi, is the fastest man on the list with a personal best of 12:58.99 achieved in June 2021 and a season best of 13:02.10 clocked in Grosseto in May.

In other races, Reynold Kipkorir and Daniel Kimaiyo will be eyeing tickets to the final of the men's 1500m when they take to the track in the heats today evening at 5:45 PM EAT.

Pamela Kosgei and Faith Cherotich will also be hoping to punch tickets to the final of the women's 3000m steeplechase at 6:20PM EAT.

Nelly Jepchirchir and Eveline Chepkoech have the semis spot to fight for when they take on the women's 800m heats.

The mixed relay team of Damaris Nduleve, Elkanah Chemelil,Peter Kithome, and Sylvia Chelangat have a tough task in heat 2 that also has Jamaica, Brazil, and the USA.