Abera, Wosane salvage Ethiopia’s pride at 2025 Absa Kip Keino Classic
Distance running giants bag both the women's 3,000m steeplechase & 1500m gold medals at their bitter rivals' backyard
NAIROBI, Kenya, June 1- Kenya and her northern neighbour Ethiopia share the most intense rivalry in any sport known to man when it comes to distance running.
The latest chapter in this undying battle for supremacy came at the 2025 Absa Kip Keino Classic— the sixth leg of this season’s World Athletics Continental Tour Gold series held on Saturday (May 31) at the Ulinzi Sports Complex in Nairobi.
And it took until the 17th event of the day’s programme that consisted of national, discretionary and core events for Ethiopia to strike her first gold at their arch-rivals backyard.
And they did it in style.
Ethiopian star Wosane Asefa led a clean podium sweep in the women’s 3000m steeplechase final.
Asefa produced a blistering kick at the bell to accelerate to the fold in a lifetime best of 9:30.68.
Behind her Kena Tufa led the challengers home for silver in her lifetime best of 9:31.72 with Firehiwot Gesese completing the podium shut out in 9:32.09 further back.
“I have achieved my goal today. Coming into this race, my main goal was to win. My next major target is to qualify for the World Championships.
“I loved the crowd because the cheers motivated me to keep going. Competing in Kenya feels great,” said Wosane said after her polished victory.
Local favourite and Commonwealth Games champion Jackline Chepkoech was stunned to fifth in 9:44.48 just behind Diana Chepkemoi (9:41.52) who was the first Kenyan across the line.
Hawi Abera stuns Ulinzi
Just over half and hour later, it was gold number two for Ethiopia.
In one of the most electrifying races of the evening programme, Hawi Abera stunned the packed Ulinzi Stadium by storming past Kenya’s Purity Chepkirui in the final metres to claim the women’s 1500m title.
The 18-year-old Abera, who came into the race with a personal best of 4:04.90, ran with poise and precision, timing her final sprint to perfection.
She clocked 4:06.52 to take the gold ahead of Chepkirui— a World Under 20 champion and Olympic semifinalist who faded slightly in the last 100 metres to finish second in 4:06.97.
Ethiopia's Ksanet Alem, with a lifetime best of 4:06.20, bounced back from an underwhelming season to take the bronze in a season’s best of 4:07.15.
As the penultimate event of the day, the women’s 1500m delivered drama, pace, and heartbreak for the home crowd, who had hoped to see Chepkirui clinch gold on Kenyan soil.
From the start, Chepkirui controlled the tempo, hitting the 800m mark in a brisk split as the crowd roared.
She was closely trailed by Axumawit Embaye, a 3:58.80 runner, and Faith Chebet and it looked as if her determined front running would pay off.
But Hawi, sitting back in fourth for much of the race, unleashed a perfectly timed kick on the final bend. With 60 metres to go, her long stride reeled in Chepkirui to snatch a dramatic victory.
Embaye, the 2014 World Indoor silver medallist, came in fourth with 4:08.04, while Kenya’s Faith Chebet, who has no recorded PB, finished fifth in 4:13.25.
Knight Aciru of Uganda, clocked a season-best 4:13.43 to finish sixth, while Mary Nyaboke Ogwoka, the youngest in the field at just 16, ran a personal best 4:15.90, bettering her previous best of 4:16.00 for a promising seventh-place finish.
The women’s 1500m was a thrilling climax to a day of world-class competition, second only to the explosive men’s 100m finale that ensued immediately after.
-By Robert Kibet | Freelance Journalist
-Photos: Organisers
