Serem, Kosgei bag gold & silver in steeplechase at Lima Worlds

Kenya’s Edmund Serem led his compatriot Matthew Kosgei as the duo clinched gold and silver in 3,000m steeplechase, as the World Athletics U-20 Championships culminated at the Estadio Atlético de la Videna here in Lima, Peru on Sunday.

Serem, who won silver beating Kosgei to bronze at the Africa Athletics Championships, improved to gold while Kosgei moved one up to silver.

Coming from a running family led by his brother Amos Serem, the winner of the water and barriers event in 2021 in Nairobi, maintained the family legacy, clocking 8:15.28 for gold with compatriot Kosgei, whose father (William Kosgei) was also a runner in the 1986 team timed 8:17.46 for silver - personal best.

Ethiopia’s Hailu Ayalew settled for bronze, with a personal best also, of 8:24.08. As team captain, Serem said that it is a dream come true winning Championship gold.

“As a team leader I had to show the way despite the event coming in the last day. The team did well and as the games come to the end, we have a reason to work hard and focus on the 2028 Olympic Games,” said Serem, singling out a his coaches Patrick Sang, Robert Ngisirei, Bernard Rono, Peter Sang as part of the beautiful show.

“We can now be named as a steeplechase family and I’m so happy because the results came due to pure hard work and being focused for the prize. My father has been motivating me so much to follow in the footsteps of my brother Amos who won gold in the 2021 games,” said Serem.

Kosgei also attributed the win to the support he gets from both his father and mother who were athletes in their prime days. 

“I’m so happy to have bagged silver due to stiff competition that was witnessed in the race. I really appreciate my friend Serem for encouraging me to hang on and I have to continue training for the next assignments because I have finished the junior event. I know my father is a happy man because he asked me to work hard and I have delivered,” said Kosgei.

In the last event for Kenya, Josphat Kipkirui finished in the fourth position at 3:43.20 where Ethiopian Abdisa Fayisa won the race at 3:40.51 ahead of Australian Cameron Myers (3:40.60) and Spaniard Alex Pintado settling for bronze in 3:41.03. 

Earlier in the day, Mary Nyaboke Ogwoka and Miriam Chemutai Kibet finished the 1,500m race in 10th and 14th respectively at 4:22.60 and 4:26.80 where Ethiopia’s Saron Berhe (4:14.64) won gold with silver and bronze going to Canadian Rachel Forsyth (4:17.94) and Germany’s Jolanda Kallabis (4:19.34) respectively.