Edmund Serem ready to step out of elder brother Amos’ shadow
Teenage men's steeplechase sensation targets Absa Kip Keino Classic gold on Saturday
NAIROBI, Kenya, May 28- When the starter’s gun goes off in the men’s 3000m steeplechase race at the Absa Kip Keino Classic on Saturday (May 31), all eyes will be fixed on one teenager.
Edmund Serem, 17, is the latest water and barriers sensation that is causing ripples on the international circuit and the sixth World Athletics Continental Tour Gold meeting of the season is the perfect stage to add another glowing chapter to his growing reputation.
He is also the younger of the Serem brothers; with his elder sibling and reigning Diamond League champion, Amos, 22, ruled out of Kip Keino Classic by injury.
Amos hit international headlines in Brussels, Belgium last year when he scored the sensational victory over Moroccan great and Olympic champion, Soufiane El Bakkali, in the Diamond League final.
This year, he is ranked as the number two steeplechaser in the world.
“It feels good racing against my younger brother. I know he is in form, but I am keen to join him in battling for a slot to the World Championships,” Amos who is out of Kenya told this website.
In his absence, the younger Serem is primed to scale the middle step of the podium.
Edmund is the World Under 20 champion and African silver medallist and he will line-up at the Ulinzi Sports Complex as the number eight steeplechaser in the world this year.
“My season has been really good so far. I started with a silver medal in Shanghai on my Diamond League debut, clocking 8:08.68 — I was targeting 8:15,” Edmund told this website on Wednesday via phone.
“Then Rabat happened. To come third in a strong field, with an 8:07 PB, was a big boost. I was a bit fatigued after that race, but I’m ready for Nairobi.”
Blistering finish
The exciting teenager won the top medal for Kenya at the Lima 2024 World U20 in Peru, matching the feat of his elder brother who struck gold at the Nairobi 2020 World U20 edition.
And he is fresh from a blistering 8:07.48 finish for bronze at the Wanda Diamond League meeting in Rabat, Morocco, a performance that secured the qualification time for the Tokyo 2025 Worlds.
“I’m not coming to Kip Keino to chase times,” Edmund said, his voice steady but resolute.
Born in the red-dust village of Muyeng’wet, tucked within the rugged hills of Kabao in Uasin-Gishu County, he speaks with the quiet confidence of a man who is building up a head of steam after recovering from injury.
“I’ve already got the qualification mark for the Worlds,” he adds. “This race will be about winning — it’s more tactical.”
For Edmund, the Absa Kip Keino Classic is more than a race — it’s the perfect stage to showcase his talent as he seeks to emerge from the shadow of hie elder brother Amos.
It will also be a chance for redemption having finished eighth (8:37.20) during the 2024 edition as he felt the effects of a hamstring strain.
The teenager trains under the watchful eye of retired three-time world steeplechase silver medallist and renowned coach, Patrick Sang, alongside Amos in Kaptagat.
Current Kenyan female steeplechase stars, Olympic bronze medallist Faith Cherotich and Jackline Chepkoech also belong to their group.
Besides sharing the gruelling training sessions, they all hail from the same village.
“Brotherhood gives me motivation,” Edmund says.
“Amos and I train together, push each other, and remind ourselves of the days when legends like Ezekiel Kemboi, Richard Mateelong, and Brimin Kipruto used to exchange leads and jokes mid-race. That brotherhood spirit lives on in us.”
“Of course, it’s competitive. We want to beat each other. Amos is more experienced, but I believe I’m catching up,” he chuckles. “The good thing is, no matter who finishes ahead, the victory still stays in the family.”
Dominated headlines
Their story echoes a chapter from nearly two decades ago, when another set of steeplechase siblings — Stephen Cherono, who later changed his name to Saif Saaeed Shaheen after switching allegiance to Qatar, and Abraham Cherono — dominated the headlines.
Stephen, the younger of the two, stunned the world by winning the 2003 World Championships in Paris under the Qatari flag, while Abraham ran for the nation of his birth.
Their rivalry played out on the international stage, driven by ambition, family pride, and contrasting fortunes.
The Serem brothers' journey is deeply rooted in the quiet determination of their father, a catechist and small-scale farmer whose unfulfilled running dreams sowed the seeds of ambition in his sons.
“Our father always wanted the best for us. He loved running but didn’t get the chance to pursue it seriously. Now he supports us fully. Out of eight siblings, only Amos and I run — but it’s like he’s running through us.”
After Kip Keino, Edmund will next feature at the Monaco leg of the Wanda Diamond League on July 11 where he will be aiming to lower his PB further.
The Serem brothers have extended their rivalry beyond the track since they back rival English Premier League London clubs.
The elder supports Chelsea while Edmund is a huge Arsenal fan.
“So you can imagine what weekends are like in our house,” the World Under 20 champion quipped.
-By Robert Kibet | Freelance Journalist
-Photos: Peter Njoroge
