World U20 Championships: Diana Chepkemoi wins bronze for Kenya in hotly contested steeplechase race

Diana Chepkemoi after winning bronze at the World U20 Championships.

World U20 Championships: Diana Chepkemoi wins bronze for Kenya in hotly contested steeplechase race

Joel Omotto 12:00 - 30.08.2024

Kenya’s Diana Chepkemoi managed to win a bronze medal in the women’s 3,000m steeplechase which saw Ethiopia’s Sembo Almayew break a world record.

Diana Chepkemoi won a bronze medal for Kenya in the women’s 3,000m steeplechase at the ongoing World U20 Championships in Lima, Peru.

In a race dominated by East African runners, Ethiopia’s Sembo Almayew broke the championship record to claim gold in 9:12:71, ahead of Uganda’s Loice Chekwemoi, who was second after timing 9:18.84, while Chepkemoi settled for bronze in a personal best time of 9:29.84.

“I am happy to have won a medal for my country Kenya. The race was not as easy as many will think and I know I will win next,” said Chepkemoi.

Chepkemoi had shown her intentions early when she won in heat one in 9:22.72 ahead of Ethiopian Aleshign (9:22.77) with Ugandan Bentalin Yeko completing the podium at 8:22.81 with the top eight making it to the final.

She could, however, not keep up with the pace of Almayew who obliterated the field to lower the record in Lima.

Almayew lived up to her favourite’s billing in fine style to become the first ever Ethiopian world U20 women’s steeplechase champion, the Paris Olympian surging clear of Chekwemoi of on the penultimate lap and coming home.

Adding a gold to her silver in this event from two years ago, she also took 0.07 off the championship record set by Kenya’s Celliphine Chespol in 2018.

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