NAIROBI: Janeth Chepngetich on Tuesday stunned a strong field at the Kenyan trials to claim the women’s 10,000m title and earn a maiden appearance at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.

The 26-year-old held off challenges from two world record holders, Agnes Jebet Ngetich and Beatrice Chebet.

Janeth Chepngetich is no relation to women’s marathon world record holder Ruth Chepngetich, whose provisional suspension for doping earlier this month has cast a shadow over Kenya’s preparations for Tokyo.

“I had set a strategy from the beginning. I wanted to control the pace and offer a chance to my competitors (to see if they would mount a challenge),” Chepngetich told reporters. “But in the end I managed to nail the victory.”

Chepngetich won in a time of time of 30min 27.02sec as she made up for narrowly missing out on qualification for the Paris Olympics last year when she finished fourth in the trials.

Chebet, who also set a new world record for the women’s 5,000m at the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene two weeks ago, was happy with her third place which guaranteed her a third World Championships appearance.

Ngetich is a world record holder in the 10km road run.

In the women’s 3,000 metre steeplechase, Olympic bronze medallist Faith Cherotich was back to her winning ways after losing to Bah­raini rival Winfred Yavi in Eugene.

The 21-year-old won in 9:09.44, well ahead of second-placed Doris Lemngole (9:24:69) with Caren Chebet in third with 9:34.91.

In the men’s steeplechase, world under-20 champion Edmund Serem atoned for his elder brother Amos Serem’s absence through injury when he won the race in 8:38.91.

“It was a difficult moment for me knowing that brother Amos would have also taken part in these trials. But winning here today is a consolation for him too. I am going to Tokyo to win a medal for him,” said Serem.

The 2023 Diamond League winner Simon Kiprop Koech was second in 8:39.97, while the world and Olympic bronze medallist Abraham Kibiwott was third.

Phanuel Kipkosgei Koech, the 18-year-old who is a rising star in the 1,500m pulled out of his race with fatigue as he had only just returned from London where he beat Britain’s reigning world champion Josh Kerr in the Diamond League meet.

Koech will still be included in the Tokyo squad, but the 1,500m of Tuesday was won by Reynold Cheruiyot in a slow time of 3:48.86, with 2019 world champion Timothy Cheruiyot taking second spot in 3:49.07, and Brian Komen just behind.

Published in Dawn, July 23rd, 2025