WU20: Kenya out to defend women's steeplechase title

Celliphine Chespol has held the mantle in women's 3000m steeplechase at the World Under-20 Athletics Championship for the last two editions, setting Championship Records at both the 2016 and 2018 meets at 9:25.15 and 9:12.78 respectively. 

Kenya lost the 2014 title to Kenyan-born Bahrain’s Ruth Jebet who beat the 2012 gold medalist Daisy Jepkemei to the title. The latter had won the title in a World Junior Leading time of 9:47.22 in Barcelona, 2012. 

The Kenyan duo of Jackline Chepkoech and Faith Cherotich carry Kenya's hopes of defending the title when they take to the track on Friday 20 August in the final, set for 18.05 PM EAT, where they face the growing threat of the Ethiopians in a race where a shot at the championship record is not far fetched. 

18-year-old Zerfe Wondemagegn heads the field with a person best of 9:16.41, which she ran to finish eighth at the Olympics final earlier this month. Chepkoech heads to the final on the back of a 9:32.99 performance at the national trials while Cherotich stopped the clock in 9:33.02.

WU20: What to watch out for this morning

Chepkoech, who is inspired by her namesake and world record holder Beatrice Chepkoech, narrowly missed the chance to represent Kenya at the Tokyo Olympics after placing fourth (9:29.2) during the national Olympics trials behind Olympic bronze medalist Hyvin Kiyeng, Beatrice and Purity Kirui and is looking to make amends.

Hungary’s Greta Varga will lead the European charge, the 17-year-old is a silver medalist at the European U-20 Championships last month and has a personal best of 9:50.63.

Ethiopia’s Emebet Kebede and Morocco’s Soukaina Elhaji should also be in the shake-up for the minor medals.

Meanwhile, Simon Koech and Amos Serem will fly Kenya's flag in heat one and two respectively of the men's heats in the distance at 14.29hrs as they look to book final slots where Kenya is looking to region control of her race. 

The event traditionally dominated by Kenya saw a changing of guard at the last edition of the championships where Takele Nigate took gold for Ethiopia and they are capable of continuing their steeplechase takeover here through Bikila Tadese Takele, who has run 8:09.37 this year.

He ran that to take victory at the Ethiopian Olympic Trials in Hengelo in June but was well below his best in Tokyo itself, finishing eighth in his heat in 8:24.69 and bowing out. If the 19-year-old is at his best he’ll be tough to stop. 

His countryman Samuel Firewu, an 8:20.27 performer this year, and Uganda’s Leonard Chemutai, an 8:40.88 athlete, are next best on paper. The European challenge is led by Italy’s Cesare Caiani and France’s Baptiste Cartieaux, who finished third and fourth respectively at the European U-20 Championships in Tallinn, Estonia, last month.

Additional information by World Athletics