Kenya tops in Africa, winds up second in the world at U20 show

Belgian sprinters in action at the World Under-20 Championships in Eugene, USA. [AFP]

Kenya once again showed Africa the way when it emerged top on the continent and second globally at the World Under-20 Championships, which concluded in Eugene, Oregon, United States of America (USA), yesterday.

The country’s teenagers bounced back from disappointing performances on day four of the championships to pull off major surprises on the final day.

Yesterday morning, a squad of six Kenyan youngsters competing in three different events rewrote history as they reinforced Kenya’s dominance in dramatic finals at Hayward Field at the University of Oregon.

The Kenyan Under-20 cast overcame falls, a lost shoe, a missed water jump in the steeplechase and a disqualification to bring home 11 medals, finishing behind hosts USA, who bagged 24 medals.

Team Kenya added four medals to the seven it won at the 2024 edition in Lima, Peru, where the country finished fifth on the medal table behind USA, which topped the charts, Ethiopia, China and Jamaica.

Astounding performances, especially on the first and final days of the Under-20 show, catapulted Kenya to the top in Africa and number two in the world. When the last race was run yesterday morning, Kenya had hauled four gold, three silver and four bronze medals, while the closest African country was Ethiopia, with a total of six medals.

A thrilling finish in the women’s 1500m saw Josephine Sembeyo Mancha storm to a dramatic victory, edging USA’s Claire Stegall by just 0.04 seconds to earn Kenya a gold medal. The women’s 1500m contest was a beautifully measured race that began at a pedestrian pace but exploded into life with a breathtaking finish in the homestretch.

However, it was not short of drama. Sembeyo recovered from a fall that caused her loose spike to drop on the track, but despite racing with one shoe, she displayed remarkable composure and sprinted to a glorious gold medal in 4:16.73.

Contestants covered the opening lap of the 1500m event in 78 seconds, with no one willing to take control of the proceedings, leaving the field tightly bunched for the better part of the race.

At the closing stages, Stegall began closing in and dived across the finish line, but Sembeyo held her nerve. The US star took silver in 4:16.77.

Sembeyo had celebrated her 19th birthday while carrying on her shoulders the hopes of a country yearning for glory.

She was also quick to reveal her lofty ambitions; she wants to be the next Faith Kipyegon, the record holder in the 1500m.

“I’m happy to celebrate my 19th birthday here in Eugene. My role models are Faith Kipyegon and Sarah Moraa. I am working hard to be like them one day,” said Sembeyo.

Sembeyo had produced a dominant performance in the women’s 1500m during the national trials, clocking 4:09.89 ahead of Caren Chepchirchir, who clocked 4:12.10 to finish second.

The duo had won their respective heats in the preliminaries on Thursday.

Caren Chepchirchir, who teamed up with Sembeyo in the women’s 1500m, also impressed on the final day, bagging bronze in 4:17.50 after beating Ethiopia’s Elsabet Amar, who finished fourth.

The men’s 1500m showdown was mouthwatering. Kenya also earned two more medals in the event. Wilson Chepkwech delivered on a promise he made when he won his heat in the semi-final on Friday.

Chepkwech led David Kapaiko Sekento to a dominant gold-silver finish, timing 3:37.46 and 3:38.32 respectively. Both teenagers recorded personal bests in a phenomenal medal haul.