Chespol, Kipruto highlight World Under-20 trials

World Under-20 3,000m steeplechase champion Cellphine Chespol has set her sights on defending her title as the World Under-20 Championships trials start on Monday at Kasarani Stadium.

The two-day event will be used to select the team that will represent Kenya at the World Under-20 Championships scheduled for July 10 to 15 in Tampere, Finland.

Chespol, fresh from winning silver in the 3,000m steeplechase at Gold Coast Commonwealth Games in April , said that she is ready for the trials, having tested her strength to finish second at the Rome Diamond League on May 31.

Africa Cross Country Under-20 champion Rhonex Kipruto is the man to beat in the men’s 10,000m final that goes down at 9.30am.

Chespol, who is also the national record holder (8:58.78), clocked a season’s best of 9:05.14, losing the battle to the 2015 World 3,000m steeplechase Hyvin Kiyeng, who is also the Rio Olympics silver medallist in a World lead and meet Record time of 9:04.96.

“I am ready for the trials and I hope to win and go on to defend my title in Finland,” said Chespol, who is also the 2015 World Under-18 2,000m steeplechase champion.

Chespol won the 3,000m steeplechase at the 2016 World Under-20 Championships in Poland in a Championship Record time of 9:25.15.

Chespol, 19, faces Caren Chebet and Mercy Chepkirui, who staged a 1-2 finish respectively in the girls' 2,000m steeplechase during the 2017 World Under-18 Championships in Nairobi.

Also in the race is Fancy Cherono, who finished sixth, but in a personal best of 9:46.27 during the 3,000m steeplechase final at Gold Coast “Club Games.”

After winning the Africa Cross Country title in March in Algeria, Rhonex Kipruto then headed to USA where he won the New York Healthy Kidney 10km race in 27:08 minutes on April 28, before finishing fifth in 3,000m in 7:48.08 at the Cambridge Adidas Boost Boston Games.

Betty Chepkemoi, who finished fifth in the 3,000m steeplechase at the 2016 World Under-20 Championships in Poland, has shifted gears to 5,000m, where she takes on Beatrice Chebet in the final starting 10.35am.

Chebet represented Kenya in the 3,000m at the World Under-18 in Nairobi where she finished fourth.

World Under-18 1,500m champion George Manangoi and World Under-18 1,500m bronze medallist Edinah Jebitok will highlight their respective races semi-finals starting at 11.45am.

After failing to secure a place in the Commonwealth team, Manangoi went on to win the Johannesburg Athletix Grand Prix Series on March 1 in 3:40.62, followed by the Djibouti International Meeting in 3:40.77 on March 30.

Manangoi clocked a personal best of 3:35.53 for second place on his first Diamond League meeting in Doha on May 4, before settling 14th at Roma Golden Gala in 3:41.75 on May 31.

Monday's programme

7.00am -10,000m race walk (men) final

9.30am-10,000m (men) final

9.30am –High Jump (men) final

10.10am- 400m hurdles (women) semi-finals

10.20am- 400m hurdles (men) semi-finals

10.35am- 5,000m (women) final-, Triple (women) final

10.55am- 100m (women) heats

11.00am- 100m (men) heats

11.15am-400m (women) heats, 400m (men) heats, Javelin (men final)

11.45am-1,500m (women) semi-finals, 1,500m (men) semi-finals, Long Jump (men) final

12.30pm-200m (women) heats, 200m (men) heats

1.10pm- 800m (women) heats, 800m(men) heats, Discus (women) final

1.40pm-100m hurdles (women) semi-finals, 110m hurdles (men) semi-finals, shotput (men's final)

1.50pm- 3,000m steeplechase (women) final