Susan Ejore eyes podium finish in Tokyo after securing world championships spot
Susan Ejore is set to represent Kenya at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo after finishing second in the women’s 1500 metres final at the national trials in Nairobi, capping off a breakthrough season for the U.S.-based athlete.
Kenya’s Susan Ejore has officially booked her place at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, reaffirming her status as one of the country’s top middle-distance runners. Already armed with the qualifying time, the 29-year-old sealed her spot on the national team after finishing second in the women’s 1500 metres final during the Athletics Kenya Trials held on 2 July 2025 at the Ulinzi Sports Complex.
Ejore clocked 4:05.24 in the tactical race, trailing only Nelly Chepchirchir (4:05.09) and edging out Dorcas Ewoi (4:08.08), in a performance that underlined her consistency during a stellar 2024 campaign.
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Her qualification comes just a year after she broke the sub-four minute barrier in the 1500m for the first time, an achievement that followed years of persistence and training while based in the United States.
“My expectation was to execute and get the position one or two, because these are the automatic spots. I already had the time, it was just to come here and fight for that position. I am very happy I get to represent Kenya; it is always an honor,” said Ejore, who trains in Arizona.
The University of Oregon graduate and St. Gabriel's Mission School alumna had already achieved the entry standard time of 3:56.07 last year, the same time she posted when she made the 1500m final at the Paris Olympics her debut for Kenya on the global stage.
“I am so happy to make Team Kenya once again,” she said. “My expectations were to execute the race, and get the top two automatic positions since I had the time. Really excited to have this opportunity, it is always nice to represent Kenya, a country that has given me so much.”
Her road to Tokyo has been anything but conventional. Despite never competing in high school athletics, Ejore has steadily risen through the ranks since earning a scholarship to the U.S. in 2015.
She made her first appearance on the Diamond League circuit this year, competing in Doha, Pre Fontaine, and Paris, before earning an invitation to Athlos NYC, a premier women’s track and field series.
The journey has been long and hard-earned, but she believes the experience gained over the past year will give her a competitive edge in Tokyo. “I run against the same people over and over,” she said. “Right now I have experience and more confidence. I am ready to go there and put myself in the mix.”
Ejore’s appearance in Tokyo will be her third in Kenyan colors, following her Olympic debut in Paris and a strong fifth-place finish at this year’s World Indoor Championships in Nanjing, China, where she ran 4:03.89.
“I want to be at the podium so bad. Everybody’s goal is to get a medal at the worlds,” she said. “I’ve raced the same people over and over, so I have good experience and right now I have more confidence. I am ready to go there and put myself in the mix. I want to be on that podium so bad, my goal is to get a medal.”
Ejore will line up alongside Nelly Chepchirchir, Dorcas Ewoi, and four-time world champion Faith Kipyegon on the women’s 1500m podium.
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