Zurich DL: Edmund Serem beaten to second place as Nelly Chepchirchir emerges victorious
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Reading Time: 2min | Thu. 28.08.25. | 21:30
Despite missing out on the title, the exciting youngster has enjoyed a promising Diamond League campaign this year
2024 World U20 champion Edmund Serem settled for second place in the men’s 3000m steeplechase at the Diamond League final in Zurich, Switzerland, on Thursday, 28 August.
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The youngster who looked fit to win the race was edged out in the closing stages by Germany’s Ruppert Frederik.
The race, staged under cool evening conditions in Switzerland, began with Wesley Langat dictating the early tempo before he dropped out at the 1000m mark.
His compatriot Chemiat Kones briefly carried Kenya’s hopes at the front before fading, leaving Serem to pick up the charge.
Ethiopia’s Sime Abrham was among the early challengers, but it was Frederik who patiently worked his way up the pack.
By the halfway mark, Serem had risen from ninth to second, eventually taking the lead as the field began to stretch out.
The decisive moment came in the final lap when Frederik produced a blistering kick, surging past Serem in the home straight to clinch victory.
Serem held on for second, while Morocco’s Salaheddine Ben Yazide completed the podium.
Despite missing out on the title, the exciting youngster has enjoyed a promising Diamond League campaign this year.
He opened his season with a fourth-place finish in Xiamen (8:08.50), followed by second place in Suzhou a week later (8:08.68).
The 17-year-old then secured third-place finishes in Rabat (8:07.47) and Monaco (8:04.00) before returning home to win the Kip Keino Classic in Nairobi.
Frederik stopped the clock at 8:09.02, just ahead of Serem’s 8:09.96, with Ben Yazide registering 8:14.10. Spain’s Daniel Arce (8:14.60) and France’s Nicholas-Marie Daru (8:18.68) rounded out the top five.
The meeting record of 7:56.54, set by Qatar’s Saif Saeed Shaheen, remained untouched.
Women's 1500m
In the women's 1,500m race, Nelly Chepchirchir clocked a season best of 3:59:99 to emerge victorious ahead of Australia's Jessica Hull.
Chepchirchir, the only Kenyan in the race, was looking to impress since her countrymate Faith Kipyegon missed the finale, opting to prioritise preparations for the upcoming World Championships.
Men's 1500m
Meanwhile, in the men’s 1500m, it was another dramatic finish as 2019 World Champion Reynold Cheruiyot was narrowly beaten in a photo finish by the Netherlands’ Niels LaRos.
LaRos crossed the line in 3:29.20, edging Cheruiyot, who clocked a new personal best of 3:29.91. Rising youngster Phanuel Koech impressed with third place in 3:30.02.
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