Serem upstages El Bakkali to win steeplechase Diamond League Trophy

The former World Under 20 champion turned on the afterburners in the final lap to beat El Bakkali’s usual tactics of hard-kicking in the homestretch as the Kenyan claimed top honours in 8 mins 06.90 seconds with the Moroccan settling for a second place in a time of 8 minutes 08.60 seconds.

Serem, who finished a distant 14th at the Paris Olympics, perfectly got one up on EL Bakkalo as he led from gun to tape ending the Moroccan three-year unbeaten streak since his 2021 triumph at the Tokyo Olympics.

Tunisia’s Mohamed Amin Jhinaoui rounded off the podium with a time of 8:09.68, while Serem's compatriot and Olympics bronze medallist Abraham Kibiwot finished fourth.

Serem’s triumph not only secures him the maiden Diamond League title but also marks a significant moment in his career, as the 22-year-old defeated the formidable El Bakkali, the reigning Olympic gold medallist, for the first time in over three years.

El Bakkali ended Kenya’s steeplechase stranglehold in Tokyo and since then he has refused to relinquish his grip on the water and barrier event, winning World Championship and Paris Olympics titles among other championships.

-Ingebrigtsen Three-peat-

In a thrilling men’s 1500m race, Norway’s Jakob Ingebrigtsen completed a Diamond League Trophy three-peat to solidify his dominance over the distance.

The Norwegian bounced back from his defeat in Zurich to win the 1500m in 3:30.37, beating Olympic champion Cole Hocker and Zurich winner Yared Nuguse.

2019 world champion Timothy Cheruiyot of Kenya came home second in 3:30.93, 0.01 ahead of Hocker as Nuguse was sixth.

Kenya's next rising star, Reynold Cheruiyot, placed seventh with a time of 3:32.50. The 19-year-old World U20 champion continues to impress on the senior circuit, gaining valuable experience racing alongside the best in the world. African champion Brian Komen finished ninth.