NAIROBI, Kenya, September 14 – Kenyan athletes ran the show at the final leg of the Diamond League circuit in Brussels on Saturday night as Faith Cherotich, Faith Kipyegon, Beatrice Chebet and Emmanuel Wanyonyi triumphed in their respective races.
Cherotich set the stage for a dominant showing by clinching her first-ever Diamond League victory when she clocked 9:02.36 to win the women’s steeplechase.
Coming in second was another Kenyan Winfred Yavi – albeit representing her adopted country Bahrain – who clocked 9:02.87 as Ugandan Peruth Chemutai came third in 9:07.60.
Despite being only 20, Cherotich continues to ascend the ladder of the women’s 3000m steeplechase at an impressive rate, having already won the bronze medal at the 2023 World Championships in Budapest and the Paris Olympics in July/August.
Meanwhile, it was another Diamond League trophy added to Kipyegon’s cabinet as she clocked a meet record of 3:54.75 to win the women’s 1500m.
Ethiopia’s Diribe Welteji finished second in 3:55.25 as Australia’s Jessica Hull completed the final podium place after clocking 3:56.99.
World record holder for the women’s 10,000m, Beatrice Chebet, summed up her excellent season with victory in the 5000m.
The Olympics 5000m and 10,000m champion clocked a meet record of 14:09.82 to cross the finish line ahead of Medina Eisa (14:21.89) and Fotyen Tesfaye (14:28.53), both of Ethiopia, who finished second and third respectively.
Chebet’s triumph in the Belgian capital was her fourth in this year’s Diamond League campaign having won in Doha (5000m), Prefontaine Classic (10,000m), and Zurich (5000m).
The night couldn’t have ended better than another monstrous performance from Emmanuel Wanyonyi who stormed to victory in the men’s 800m.
The Olympics 800m champion clocked 1:42.70, ahead of Algerian Djamel Sedjati (1:42.86) and Canadian Marco Arop (1:43.25) in second and third respectively.
Victory for the 20-year-old was a perfect comeback after the disappointment of the last leg of the circuit in Silesia where he was upstaged by the Canadian to the finish line.
With David Rudisha’s world record of 1:40.91 still standing, the rivalry among the trio – as well as Frenchman Gabrial Tual – 2025 will be an interesting year to look forward to as far as the men’s 800m is concerned.