Chepkoech speaks on her world record feat in Monaco

What you need to know:

  • “I wanted to break the world record."
  • On a day previous record holder Jebet of Bahrain was listed in an Athletics Integrity Unit report into alleged doping, Kenyan police woman brings record back home.

MONACO

Beatrice Chepkoech said she was proud to bring the steeplechase world record back to Kenya after a brilliant run in Monaco on Friday night in which she shattered the two-year-old mark.

Chepkoech, 27, ran eight minutes, 44.32 seconds to shatter the previous best set in 2016 by Kenyan-born Bahraini Ruth Jebet, whose name headlined an Athletics Integrity Unit report released earlier on Friday into alleged doping.

Olympic champion Jebet had run 8:52.78 before Chepkoech, aided by a couple of pacemakers, shot around more than six seconds faster, her remarkable effort also smashing her own previous personal best by more than 15 seconds.

"I wanted to break the world record, that was the plan from the start of the season," she said.

"I felt strong during the race and was thinking I might be able to break 8:50, but not at all dreaming about 8:44.

"It’s a great feeling to bring the world record back to Kenya."

It was a fitting reward for the National Police Service athlete who last month completed a hat-trick of victories at the national police championships in Nairobi, winning the steeplechase, 1,500 metres and 400 metres hurdles titles.

She retained her steeplechase in 10:00.6 and before keeping her 1,500m title in 4:07.69, in the process defeating 2013 world 800m champion Eunice Sum (4:10.63) to second place.

She crowned the hat-trick with victory in the 400m hurdles (60.7).

Athletics Kenya officials and coaches were quick, on social media, to congratulate the policewoman who also won gold for Kenya in the mixed relay at last year’s IAAF World Cross Country Championships in Kampala.

"It’s a nice feeling. We thank God," said middle distance coach Bernard Ouma at Monaco’s Louis II stadium.

"Beatrice is great! She is in the news and trending here in Monaco."

"8:44, beautiful!," remarked former world steeplechase champion Milcah Chemos.

Meanwhile, with his coach Ouma in the stands, Timothy Cheruiyot also set a world lead (and personal best) of 3:28.41 in a blistering 1,500m race. His training mate and another Ouma protégé, Elijah Manang’oi, the world and Commonwealth Games champion, was second in 3:29.64.

In other action in Monaco on Friday, new American sprint hope Noah Lyles raced to a dominant 200m victory while South African Caster Semenya also shone in the 800m.

Lyles celebrated his 21st birthday in style, the wannabe rapper scorching to victory in 19.65 seconds, the fastest run this season and a meet record.

World champion Ramil Guliyev of Turkey finished second in 19.99, but Lyles was well clear of the field in perfect, balmy conditions at Monaco’s Louis II stadium.

"It was a great race, especially improving the meet record," said Lyles, a notoriously bad starter.

"I had the same (good) start as I had in Eugene and I felt it. It gives me confidence in what I can do next." It was another gun-to-tape win for Semenya, who is challenging the IAAF over controversial new rules track and field’s ruling body plan to introduce on high testosterone levels in female athletes.

She shot out past even the pacesetters and with Czechoslovakian Jarmila Kratochvilova’s 1983 world record of 1:53.28 seemingly in imminent danger, Semenya blasted through the first lap in 55.76 seconds and increased her lead over the chasing pack as she lengthened her stride down the back straight before rounding the final bend.

The 27-year-old, double Olympic champion (2012, 2016) and three-time world champion (2009, 2011, 2017), eventually tied up slightly as she pushed through to the line in 1:54.60, also a meet record.

"It was just fantastic!" beamed Semenya. "Only the last 100m were a little off for me.