Faith Cherotich outpaced Olympic champion Winfred Yavi in a thrilling race to claim the Diamond League steeplechase title.
In a stunning upset, Olympic bronze medalist Faith Cherotich beat reigning Olympic and World 3,000 m steeplechase champion Winfred Yavi to capture the Diamond League trophy at the Allianz Memorial Van Damme, the finale of the 2024 Diamond League circuit, on Saturday.
Cherotich, just 20 years old, delivered a standout performance in Brussels, finishing in an impressive 9:02.36.
Victory for Cherotich 🤩
🇰🇪's Faith Cherotich kicks to her first Diamond League title 💎 in the women's 3000m steeplechase 👏
She clocks 9:02.36 ahead of 🇧🇭's Winfred Yavi with a sprint down the final straight 💪
📸 @GorczynskaMarta#DiamondLeague pic.twitter.com/leSFu0KHNq
— World Athletics (@WorldAthletics) September 14, 2024
In a closely contested race, Cherotich surged ahead of Yavi, who finished second in 9:02.87. Uganda’s Peruth Chemutai, the 2021 Olympic gold medalist, claimed third with a time of 9:07.60, making the race a fiercely competitive battle from start to finish.
Faith Cherotich is only 20 and she just beat the Olympics champion Winfred Yavi!
“Nimejipe hope sasa ni kwenda kung’ang’ana,” she tells me pic.twitter.com/uOXXxpwNu4
— Larry Madowo (@LarryMadowo) September 14, 2024
Germany’s Gesa Felicitas Krause recorded a season-best of 9:08.94 to secure fourth place, while American Gabrielle Jennings put in a strong performance to finish fifth in 9:09.89.
Tunisia’s Marwa Bouzayani crossed the line sixth in 9:10.19, with Valerie Constien of the USA taking seventh in 9:13.31.
Germany’s Lea Meyer and Olivia Markezich from the USA followed in eighth and ninth places, with times of 9:22.71 and 9:27.98, respectively. Ethiopia’s Lomi Muleta rounded out the top ten with a time of 9:52.35.
Cherotich’s tactical brilliance was evident throughout the race. Despite trailing Yavi in the early stages, she remained composed and strategically timed her moves.
By the 400-meter mark, Yavi held the lead with Chemutai and Cherotich closely following. As they approached the 1,000-meter mark, the gap between the leading trio and the rest of the pack widened, with Yavi still in front. At this point, Yavi seemed poised to extend her dominance, but Cherotich had other plans.
The turning point came at the 2,000-meter mark when Cherotich made her decisive move, taking the lead for the first time. Chemutai was hot on her heels, and Yavi remained within striking distance.
With 500 meters left, the trio battled fiercely for the top spot. Chemutai briefly surged ahead at the 2,500-meter mark, but Cherotich, demonstrating remarkable resilience, reclaimed the lead in the final lap, holding off a determined Yavi to claim her first Diamond League title.
This victory capped off a sensational season for Cherotich, who has rapidly risen as one of athletics’ brightest stars.
Following her bronze medal at the Paris 2024 Olympics, Cherotich has consistently impressed on the steeplechase circuit. She began her season with a third-place finish at the Diamond League Meeting in Xiamen and followed it up with another third-place finish at the Prefontaine Classic.
Her standout performance at the Kenyan Olympic trials, where she outpaced world record holder Beatrice Chepkoech and Jackline Chepkoech to secure her spot for the Paris Games, further highlighted her potential.
In Brussels, Cherotich proved that her Olympic success was no accident, as she triumphed over a world-class field to win the Diamond League title.
For Winfred Yavi, this loss momentarily halts what has been an exceptional year. The Bahraini star, who set an Olympic record of 8:52.76 to win gold in Paris, had been in exceptional form, claiming victories in both the Paris and Rome Diamond League meetings.
Yavi came close to breaking the world record in Rome, clocking an extraordinary 8:44.39, and entered Brussels as the favorite. However, Cherotich’s bold strategy and tenacity carried her to victory.
Meanwhile, Peruth Chemutai, the Paris Olympic silver medalist, had been eyeing the world record and dethroning Yavi. Though she briefly led the pack in Brussels, she was ultimately unable to withstand Cherotich’s final push and finished third.