Trailblazing Cellphine Chespol clinches 3,000m steeplechase gold
What you need to know:
- After toying with the field in the first two laps, the 17-year-old Chespol, who is the World Under-18 2,000m steeplechase champion, set the Zawisza Stadium alight when she injected some blistering pace to triumph in 9 minutes and 25.15 seconds.
IN BYDGOSZCZ, POLAND
Kenya’s Cellphine Chespol on Friday night won the World Under-20 Championships women’s 3,000m steeplechase gold in a championship record at the Zawisza Stadium in Bydgoszcz, Poland.
After toying with the field in the first two laps, the 17-year-old Chespol, who is the World Under-18 2,000m steeplechase champion, set the Zawisza Stadium alight when she injected some blistering pace to triumph in 9 minutes and 25.15 seconds.
“I expected victory but not the championship record,” said the delighted form three student at Riruta Central, Nairobi. “It inspires me to go for a hat-trick at World Cross Country next year.”
Even with the World Cross Country Championships coming up in March next year in Uganda, Chespol will still be having two more seasons in the Under-20 ranks. “This victory is for my country. I thank God,” said Chespol.
Chespol covered the first two laps in 3:13.26 before opening a 50-metre gap between her and the chasing pack that included compatriot Betty Chepkemoi Kibet, Ethiopian-born Tigist Getnet from Bahrain and Ethiopia’s Agrie Belachew.
Getnet settled for silver in 9:34.08 but Kibet’s efforts for a bronze fell short when Belachew beat her at the last water jump. The Bahraini timed 9:37.17 as Kibet’s wound fourth in a personal best of 9:38.27.
