World Youth champion Chepng'etich eyes the double in Eugene

World Youth 2,000m steeplechase champion Rosefline Chepng’etich has set her sights on a claiming a double after winning women’s 3,000m steeplechase trials for the World Junior Championships on Wednesday.

The 17-year-old stunned the reigning World Junior 3,000m champion Daisy Jepkemei in 9 minutes 43.25 seconds to emerge victorious in over 10 seconds.

Jepkemei finished in 9:53.02 to also qualify for the World Junior Championships due July 22-27 in Eugene, USA.

“I will read from the same script in Eugene,” said Chepng’etich, who won the World Youth title in Ukraine last year.

“Winning the trails by over 10 seconds shows that I am in great shape and I thank God for that,” said Chepng’etich. “I hope to maintain the form towards the championships.”

1-2 FINISH

Chepng’etich further predicted a 1-2 finish for the Kenyan juniors in Eugene.

Jepkemei won the title at the 2012 World Junior Championships in Barcelona, clocking a world junior lead time of 9:47.22, beating Ethiopia’s Tejinesh Gebisa in 9:50.51. Another Kenyan Stella Jepkosgei Rutto settled for bronze in 9:50.58.

Interestingly, it’s at last year’s World Youth Championships where Chepng’etich (6:14.60) edged out Jepkemei (6:15.12) to second place as Kenya staged a 1-2 sweep. Jepkemei had early that year won Africa Youth title in Nigeria, beating Rutto to second place.

“We can still do it again at the Eugene extravaganza if we talk to each other in the race and keep close. We must lock out our opponents especially the Ethiopians,” said Chepng’etich.