Kenya's Faith Cherotich claims gold in the women's 3,000m steeplechase

Kenya's Faith Cherotich claimed the gold in the women's 3,000m steeplechase, stunning defending champion Winfred Yavi, who represents Bahrain, with an impressive performance on the final lap.

Cherotich, 21, has now secured her first world title, adding to her bronze medal from Budapest two years ago and an Olympic bronze she earned in Paris last year.

The race featured fierce competition and dramatic moments, especially as Cherotich expertly navigated a hurdle that Yavi stumbled over during the final stretch. With a powerful kick, she soared over the last water jump and surged ahead to cross the finish line in a remarkable 8 minutes and 51.59 seconds—setting a new championship record.

Cherotich expressed her joy after the race, saying, "I am so happy to win today. Improving from bronze to gold is amazing to me." She credited her coach for instilling confidence in her, urging her to seize the moment and chase down her competitors.

Taking home the silver was Olympic champion Winfred Yavi, finishing in 8 minutes and 56.46 seconds, while Ethiopia's Sembo Almayew clinched bronze with a personal best of 8 minutes and 58.86 seconds. Yavi reflected on her race, saying, "I was challenged today, but I hope to reclaim the world title in the future."

Unfortunately, Uganda's Peruth Chemutai, the Olympic gold medalist from the same venue in 2021, did not finish the race due to a fall near the end.

Despite the humid conditions, the pace of the race was impressive, which had fans speculating that Beatrice Chepkoech's world record of 8:44.32 might have been at risk.

As the athletes pushed through, we witnessed some thrilling moments, including a fall involving Jeruto and Lemngole at the last water jump, allowing Almayew to make her move and secure her first senior global medal.