WU20: Cherotich claims Kenya's third gold in 3000m Steeplechase
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Reading Time: 2min | Fri. 05.08.22. | 01:49
The 18-year-old upgraded her bronze medal won in Nairobi back in 2021
After bagging bronze in the last edition of the games on her home turf, Faith Cherotich claimed gold in the World Under 20 3000m Steeplechase as he cruised to victory from gun to finish to cut the tape in 9:16:14.
With Jackline Chepkoech missing from the Championships after mining gold for Kenya in Nairobi back in 2021, compatriots Faith Cherotich and Pamela Kosgei flew the Kenya's flag.
Kenya have made the 3000m Steeplechase their own having won the women’s title in the last three editions to continue a dominance that had been interrupted in 2014 when Ruth Jebet, running for Bahrain won ahead of Roseline Chepngetich.
Team Kenya however faced a threat in their quest for a podium finish in the name of Sembo Almayew who finished second at the Wanda Diamond League meeting in Paris in 9:09.19 last month before finishing fifth in her heat at the World Championships in Oregon.
Cherotich was quickly off the blocks as she opened up a sizable gap from the chasing pack with Kosgei having to push herself to overtake a number of athletes from the back to make up the lost ground and join her compatriot at the top.
Kosgei, who looked to have a problem with her spikes before the race gunned off, showed signs of fatigue as she struggled to keep up with the leading pack as Cherotich continued to stretch her lead from the Ethiopian duo of Sembo Almayew and Meseret Yeshaneh.
Going into the final lap, Cherotich had a 70m advantage as she went on to overlap some of the athletes in the race and had some gas left in the tank to cruise to victory with the Ethiopians completing the podium.
Kosgei showed tired legs in the final stretch as she was pipped by Turkish athlete Rihab Dhahri to finish fifth as Sembo Almayew claimed silver while Meseret Yeshaneh settled for bronze.
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