Teen prodigy Edmund Serem holds off Ethiopians to romp to Absa Kip Keino Classic steeplechase glory
World Under 20 champions leads five rivals from the northern neighbours to the delight of home supporters for his first Continental Tour Gold title
NAIROBI, Kenya, May 31- Kenyan teenager Edmund Serem executed his race to perfection to be crowned the new Absa Kip Keino Classic 3000m steeplechase champion on Saturday (May 31) at Nairobi’s Ulinzi Sports Complex.
Edmund, the Lima 2024 World Under 20 champion and younger brother to Diamond League winner Amos Serem, enhanced his glowing reputation further by winning his first World Athletics Continental Tour Gold meeting title as a passionate local crowd cheered him on.
His 8:27.68 victory was however, well outside his 8:07.50 ran at the Rabat leg of the Wanda Diamond League.
Five Ethiopians trailed across the line much to the delight of the locals owing to the long-standing rivalry between the East African distance running powerhouses.
Dinka Fikadu and Gemechu Godana were rewarded with personal bets of 8:27.97 and 8:31.82 for the silver and bronze in that order.
“I competed last week in Rabat and now at home. I'm overwhelmed by how the crowd has cheered me. That's a memory I will always carry with when I'm competing outside,” the winner of the discretionary event on the Kip Keino Classic 2025 roster said.
Midway through the gruelling seven- and-a half-lap event, the younger Serem surged from behind to seize control, navigating barriers and the water jump with poise.
With 300 meters to go, Ethiopia’s Dinka, who came in with a PB of 8:44.90, mounted a fierce chase, narrowing the gap stride by a stride.
Final straight
As they entered the final straight, it became a showdown between the two, with the crowd willing the Kenyan on from each of the 10 stands that make up the 10,000-seater Ulinzi Sports Complex.
That was enough to see Edmund hold off the late final surge by his closest challenger to deliver the victory, a massive improvement from the seventh position he finished here last year.
Among the Kenyans, Wesley Langat, whose PB stands at 8:26.00, returned a modest 8:43.74 for seventh, while veteran Cornelius Kiplagat (PB: 8:54.90) and Wilberforce Kones (PB: 8:21.40, SB: 8:38.10) were among four athletes who failed to finish.
Czech Republic’s Damian Vich, who owns a PB of 8:22.90, faded badly to finish in 8:53.99 as the first European in eighth followed home by Uganda’s Gideon Rotich.
-By Robert Kibet | Freelance Journalist
-Photos: Organisers
