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Cherotich clinched bronze at the Olympics and the Diamond League final, while both Amos Serem and his brother Edmund also won the Diamond League trophy and the U-20 World Championship gold medal respectively.
Kenya's Athletics Youth and Development Director Barnaba Korir has expressed his excitement about the country's renewed prominence in the steeplechase event—a discipline once synonymous with Kenya's dominance but which had recently seen the nation fade into the background.
Reflecting on the impressive performances by Team Kenya at the recent World U-20 Championships in Lima, Peru, Korir confidently predicted that Kenya would soon reclaim its place atop the steeplechase podium at the World Championships and Olympic Games.
The last Kenyan athlete to clinch Olympic gold in the 3,000m steeplechase was Conseslus Kipruto at the 2016 Rio Olympics. Four years later, at the delayed Tokyo 2020 Games, Benjamin Kigen came close to continuing the tradition but finished with a bronze.
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22:23 - 13.09.2024
Amos Serem stuns Olympics champion Soufiane El Bakkali to claim steeplechase Diamond League title
Amos Serem was in a class of his own as he obliterated a stacked field including Olympic champion Soufiane El Bakkali to claim the 3000m steeplechase title at the Diamond League Meeting final in Brussels.
At the most recent Paris Olympics, the Kenyan trio of Amos Serem, Abraham Kibiwott, and Simon Koech delivered spirited performances, with Kibiwott taking home a bronze medal. However, it was reigning champion Soufiane El Bakkali and world record holder Lamecha Girma who occupied the top two spots on the podium.
Faith Cherotich, who won bronze at the Paris 2024 Olympics, won the 2024 Diamond League title in Brussells, outsing Olympic champion and fellow Kenyan-born Bahranian star Winfred Yavi.
Despite these recent results, Korir sees Kenya's performance in Paris as the start of something bigger. "After a few challenging years and rising competition from other nations, Kenya has once again shown why it’s known as the home of steeplechase," he told Citizen TV.
"The resurgence began at the Olympics when Abraham secured the bronze medal. We then travelled to Peru for the U-20 Championships where we bagged gold and silver.
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10:00 - 01.09.2024
Edmund Serem reveals main focus after dominant 3000m steeplechase win at World Under-20 Championships
Edmund Serem ensured he reclaimed the title won by his elder brother Amos Serem at the 2021 World Under-20 Championships in Nairobi.
“ Finally, in the Diamond League, they raced against the same competition they faced at the Olympics, and we witnessed both Amos Serem and young Faith clinch wins. It is clear—we are back," Korir declared confidently.
He also highlighted Kenya’s strong showing at the 2024 World U-20 Championships as a definitive signal that the country’s era of steeplechase dominance is once again on the horizon.
Edmund Serem and Matthew Kosgei’s gold and silver finishes in the 3,000m steeplechase at the Estadio Atlético de la Videna in Lima left no doubt that the future of Kenyan steeplechase is in good hands.
Korir was full of praise for the nation’s pool of young talent, emphasising that the next generation is well-equipped to carry forward Kenya’s steeplechase legacy.
"The way Amos and Faith performed has restored every Kenyan’s belief that our steeplechase supremacy is back. I have no doubt that the country will continue nurturing young steeplechasers.
“Every Kenyan wanted to see us return to our best, and I can confidently say we are back with a bang," Korir said, attributing this renewed success to improved training regimes and increased investment in youth development programmes.
Korir is optimistic that with sustained support, Kenya will not only maintain but extend its dominance in future global competitions. He envisions a long-lasting legacy for the nation, with the steeplechase returning to its rightful place at the heart of Kenya's athletics triumphs.
"The work we've put into developing young talent is paying off. If we continue down this path, Kenya will be a steeplechase powerhouse for many years to come," he concluded.
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