How Faith Cherotich broke women’s 3000m steeplechase championship record in Tokyo

Faith Cherotich wrote her name into history at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo on Wednesday after storming to victory in the women’s 3000m steeplechase, breaking the championship record in the process.

The 21-year-old Kenyan displayed patience, bravery, and a powerful finishing kick as she upstaged Bahrain’s Winfred Yavi, the reigning world and Olympic champion.

Cherotich timed her attack perfectly, sitting close behind Yavi for most of the race before powering away in the last 400 metres.

She crossed the line in 8:51.59, smashing the previous championship record and earning her first senior world title.

“I am so happy to win today,” Cherotich said after the race, beaming with joy. “Improving from bronze to gold is amazing to me. I didn’t know how it would go at the start, but I was ready. In the last 400m, I said, ‘This is my moment.’ My coach reminded me, ‘Faith, you can do it.’ I believed in myself and it paid off.”

Her victory is the latest highlight in a career that has been rising steadily since her teenage years. At 17, Cherotich took bronze at the 2021 World Athletics U20 Championships in Nairobi, before winning gold at the 2022 edition in Cali.

She has since gone on to dominate the Diamond League, lifting the title in both 2024 and 2025, and now has her biggest prize yet — a world championship gold.

Yavi, who was aiming for back-to-back titles, admitted she could not match the Kenyan’s pace in the final stretch. She settled for silver in 8:56.46, still a strong performance.

“Of course, the goal was to win, but I am grateful for this silver,” Yavi said. “In the last 200 metres, I was still strong, but I couldn’t hold the speed. I know there are more titles ahead for me.”

Ethiopia’s Sembo Almayew secured bronze in a personal best of 8:58.86, showing her steady improvement this season. Tunisia’s Marwa Bouzayani also made headlines by finishing fourth in 9:01.46, breaking her own national record.

Kenya’s Doris Lemngole placed fifth in 9:02.39, underlining the country’s depth in the event, while Kazakhstan’s Norah Jeruto, the 2022 world champion, came sixth after struggling with a hamstring injury earlier in the year.

For Cherotich, however, the night belonged to her. In Tokyo, she didn’t just win gold — she proved she is ready to rule the women’s steeplechase for years to come.