World Under-20 steeplechase champion Edmund Serem added to Kenya’s medal tally at the Tokyo World Championships after powering to bronze in the punishing water-and-barrier contest.
Serem clocked 8:34.56, securing his maiden senior global medal in a race that produced one of the biggest upsets of the championships.
New Zealand’s Geordie Beamish stunned pre-race favourite and Olympic champion Soufiane El Bakkali with a storming final sprint to snatch gold in 8:33.88, just ahead of the Moroccan’s 8:33.95. Olympic bronze medallist Abraham Kibiwott failed to keep up with the relentless pace and registered a DNF.
In the men’s 1,500m semifinals, 2022 World U-20 champion Reynold Cheruiyot spearheaded Kenya’s charge into Wednesday’s final.
The youngster clocked 3:36.64 to win Heat Two, holding off American Cole Hocker (3:36.67) and Spain’s Adrian Ben (3:36.78).
In Heat One, 2020 Olympic silver medallist Timothy Cheruiyot advanced to the final after placing fourth in 3:35.61, trailing the Netherlands' Niels Laros (3:35.50) and Britain’s duo of Josh Kerr (3:35.53) and Jake Wightman (3:35.56).
Wiseman Were booked his place in the men’s 400m hurdles semifinals with a 48.27, finishing in fifth place in heat one.
Qatar’s Abderrahman Samba (48.03), Britain’s Tyri Donovan (48.26), and American Chris Robinson (48.27) claimed the automatic slots, but Were’s time was enough to see him through as one of the fastest losers.
The 25-year-old will be eyeing a first-ever World Championships final after falling short in Budapest 2023, where he faded to sixth in his semifinal with 49.40.
Kenya’s marathoners endured a barren outing in the men’s race in the morning session.
Kennedy Kimutai placed 16th in 2:11:45, Vincent Ng’etich settled for 22nd in 2:13:38, while Hillary Kipkoech dropped out.
The crown went to Tanzania’s Alphonse Simbu, who delivered a historic moment by clinching his country’s first-ever World Championships gold in 2:09:48.
He held off Germany’s Amanal Petros (2:09:48) and Italy’s Iliass Aouani (2:09:53).
In the women's steeplechase, Olympic bronze medallist Faith Cherotich breezed through heat one, clocking 9:13.95, ahead of Kazakhstan’s Norah Jeruto (9:14.25) and Britain’s Elise Thorner (9:14.37), to secure her slot in the finals.
Celestine Biwot narrowly missed out on the six automatic slots, crossing seventh in 9:22.55, while Pamela Kosgei bowed out after a 10th-place finish in heat two with 9:28.21.
In heat three, Doris Lemong’ole clocked 9:08.97 for second place behind Uganda’s Peruth Chemutai (9:07.68), securing her ticket to the final.
