Kenya: Cherotich Grabs Women's 3,000m Steeplechase Gold

18 September 2025

Kenya's Faith Cherotich overhauled defending champion, Winfred Yavi, on an incident-packed last lap to win the women's 3,000 metres steeplechase gold at the world championships on Wednesday.

Still only 21, Cherotich added her first world title to the world bronze she won as a teenager in Budapest two years ago and the Olympic bronze she won in Paris last year.

Cherotich nailed a hurdle that Bahrain's Yavi stumbled over on the final run down the back straight and soared over the last water jump before her kick took her to the tape.

Follow us on WhatsApp | LinkedIn for the latest headlines

She crossed the line in eight minutes 51.59 seconds - the fastest time ever at a worlds - after a race run at a good pace despite the suffocating humidity at the National Stadium.

Related Articles

Olympic champion Yavi took silver in 8:56.46, while bronze went to Ethiopian 20-year-old Sembo Almayew in a personal best time of 8:58.86.

Uganda's Peruth Chemutai, who won Olympic gold at the same stadium in 2021 and silver in Paris, failed to finish after a fall at a hurdle towards the end of the race.

But for the steamy conditions, Beatrice Chepkoech's world record of 8.44.32 might have been under threat given the pace that the leading contenders set from the start.

Chemutai and 2022 world champion Norah Jeruto pushed out in front as seven runners, including the three medallists, moved well clear of the rest of the field.

Yavi might feel she made her break too early as she hit the front with just over two laps to go and Cherotich tucked in behind her waiting to pounce.

Jeruto and Kenyan Doris Lemngole fell on the last water jump, allowing Almayew to sweep past them and claim her first senior global medal.-Reuters

AllAfrica publishes around 400 reports a day from more than 90 news organizations and over 500 other institutions and individuals, representing a diversity of positions on every topic. We publish news and views ranging from vigorous opponents of governments to government publications and spokespersons. Publishers named above each report are responsible for their own content, which AllAfrica does not have the legal right to edit or correct.

Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica. To address comments or complaints, please Contact us.