Kenya shines at World Athletics U20 Championships with multiple medals in Lima

Kenya’s athletes made a resounding impact at the World Athletics U20 Championships in Lima, Peru, as they wrapped up the competition with a series of impressive performances that saw them take home gold, silver, and bronze medals in various events.

On the penultimate day of the championships, Sarah Moraa and Marion Jepngetich claimed gold and silver, respectively, in their track events. Moraa, the African 800m champion, continued her winning streak by dominating the 800m race. She controlled the pace from the start and crossed the finish line in 2:00.36, outpacing Australia’s Claudia Hollingsworth (2:00.87) and the USA’s Sophia Gorriaran (2:01.04), who took bronze.

Moraa, beaming with pride, shared that this victory has bolstered her confidence as she looks forward to the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo, Japan.

“I’m thrilled to have won my first-ever gold at the World Championships in my debut. This win is a huge morale boost, and I’m excited to continue training in preparation for the World Championships,” said Moraa, who is coached by Alex Sang.

Moraa also emphasized her preference for leading races, a strategy she adopted after observing the challenges Faith Kipyegon faced at the Paris Olympic Games.

“I love running from the front. Today, I wasn’t sure I’d win gold, but I’m so happy to have made my country proud. I wanted to avoid the crowded positions after seeing what happened at the Olympics when many athletes fell. Missing the Olympic Games was tough, but I’ll keep training to qualify early for the next global event,” Moraa added.

In the 3,000m race, Marion Jepngetich added another silver to Kenya’s tally, clocking 8:52.37. She finished just behind Ethiopia’s Aleshign Baweke, who won gold in 8:50.32, while Ethiopia’s Marta Alemayo secured bronze in 8:53.64. Jepngetich acknowledged that while she aimed for gold, she was still pleased with her silver medal.

“We had limited time to train, with our semifinals held just yesterday in the rain, but I’m happy to have won a medal today,” said Jepngetich.

However, the race didn’t go as expected for favourite Mercy Chepkemoi, who finished 9th with a time of 9:10.54.

“My competitors had better times than me, and I entered the race with one goal—to run my own race,” Chepkemoi remarked.

The final day of the championships brought more success for Kenya, as Edmund Serem and Matthew Kosgei delivered outstanding performances in the 3,000m steeplechase, earning gold and silver, respectively.

Serem, who had previously secured a silver medal at the Africa Athletics Championships, elevated his performance to win gold in Lima. He clocked 8:15.28, leading a Kenyan 1-2 finish with Kosgei, who achieved a personal best of 8:17.46 to claim silver. Ethiopia’s Hailu Ayalew finished third with a personal best of 8:24.08.

Serem, hailing from a family of steeplechasers led by his brother Amos Serem—the 2021 world champion—expressed his joy at maintaining the family legacy.

“As a team leader, I had to show the way, especially with our event on the last day. The team did well, and as the games conclude, we have every reason to work hard and focus on the 2028 Olympic Games,” Serem said.

He proudly declared that his family could now be considered a “steeplechase home,” attributing their success to hard work and dedication. “My father has been motivating me to follow in the footsteps of my brother Amos, who won gold in the 2021 games,” Serem added.

Kosgei also expressed his happiness at winning silver and credited the support from his parents, both former athletes, for his success.

“I am thrilled to have secured silver in such a competitive race. I’m grateful to Serem for encouraging me, and I’ll continue training for future competitions now that I’ve finished the junior events. I know my father is proud, as he always encouraged me to work hard, and I’ve delivered,” said Kosgei.

In Kenya’s final event at the championships, Josphat Kipkirui finished 4th in the 1,500m with a time of 3:43.20. The race was won by Ethiopia’s Abdisa Fayisa in 3:40.51, followed by Australia’s Cameron Myers (3:40.60) and Spain’s Alex Pintado, who took bronze in 3:41.03.

Earlier in the day, Mary Nyaboke Ogwoka and Miriam Chemutai Kibet competed in the women’s 1,500m, finishing 10th and 14th, respectively, with times of 4:22.60 and 4:26.80. Ethiopia’s Saron Berhe took gold in 4:14.64, with Canada’s Rachel Forsyth (4:17.94) and Germany’s Jolanda Kallabis (4:19.34) securing silver and bronze, respectively.