WU20: Chepkirui and Jemutai in operation 'dethrone Ethiopia from women's 1500m royalty'

Eighteen-year old Purity Chepkirui leads the charge for Kenya in her quest to snatch the women's 1500m gold from Ethiopia's stronghold and follow in the footsteps of her role model, two-time Olympics champion Faith Kipyegon who was the last Kenya to win the junior title in Barcelona, 2012. 

Chepkirui who is in heat two of the distance at the ongoing World Under-20 Athletics Championship, is joined in the heats, set for Friday 20 August 2021 from 10.30 am, by 18-year-old Winnie Jemutai who also draws her inspiration from Kipyegon as well as Hellen Obiri. The former's 4:10.39, her season's best, is good enough for a medal contention. 

"My training went well and finally I will have a chance to represent my country. I was worried about the Covid-19 pandemic but this is a good opportunity to grow my talent. Athletics is an event I decided to try out in 2018 and see if I will win like the way I see the seniors win on television. When Kenyans win, it gives me the motivation to continue with my training. The National Anthem being sung in your honour is a very big opportunity,” said Chepkirui who has focused on sharpening her speed work and how to execute the race.  

Her teammate, Jemutai, fell in love with the sport after watching Kipyegon in action and comes to the championship with a 4:17.55 PB.

“I liked how Faith ran during the 2016 Rio Olympics. She executed the race tactically and made it look achievable for me. From there every time I watched her, the more I wanted to be like her. I hope I will be able to match her in the championship."  

“1500m right now has a lot of competition and Tokyo Olympics 5,000m champion Sifan Hassan is now in the picture, I believe that with training discipline and confidence in myself things will work out,” she said in an interview before the junior event began. 

Jemutai attribute’s her talent to her father, a former 3,000m steeplechase athlete who encourages and motivates her to be the best. The 18 year old from Burnt Forest in Uasin Gishu County wants to advance in the 5,000m and be like her role model two-time Olympics silver medalist and World Champion Hellen Obiri.

Ethiopia has won this title at the past three editions of the World U-20 Championships and in Diribe Welteji, they have an athlete who looks capable of making it four in a row. The 19-year-old is the standout athlete by some distance, at least on paper.

Welteji won the world U-20 800m title in 2018 and clocked a superb 3:58.93 at the Ethiopian Olympic Trials in Hengelo back in June. She finished 12th in her heat at the Olympics in Tokyo but looks a class apart if she is back to her best since.

Ethiopia went 1-2 at the 2016 and 2014 editions of the World U-20 Championships and could do so again with Welteji backed up by Hiwot Mehari, a 4:08.32 performer this year.