Koech hopes to make an impact in Tokyo after impressive season
Athletics
By
World Athletics
| Sep 03, 2025
Few had heard of Phanuel Koech prior to the Wanda Diamond League meeting in Paris two months ago.
But the Kenyan teenager, in what was just the second 1500m race of his career, catapulted himself into the sport's consciousness by finishing second in a highly competitive field, breaking the world U20 record with 3:27.72.
But it wasn't in just the U20 ranks where Koech left an imprint on the history books. His time also propelled him to ninth on the senior world all-time list, bumping Olympic bronze medallist Yared Nuguse out of the top 10.
One month later in London, in Koech's next Diamond League appearance, he won in 3:28.82 and beat world champion Josh Kerr, among others.
When asked which performance he values most - the world U20 record or a Diamond League victory - he said the latter.
"I am looking ahead; I am no longer focusing on the U20 category," he said. "While I value the world record I ran in Paris, which will stay in the history books as a great moment in my career, beating Josh Kerr at the London Diamond League was a greater moment for me as it shows the potential I have and that I am now able to compete against senior athletes."
In between his races in Paris and London, Koech also won at the Continental Tour Gold meeting in Ostrava, clocking 3:29.05.
He now owns three of the four fastest 1500m times by an U20 athlete, but he insists he has never focused on chasing specific times or records.
His goal for London, in fact, was to win as he'd been told it would act as his trials for the World Championships in Tokyo. His Paris outing, meanwhile, was more about gaining valuable experience.
"Running my first Diamond League race in Paris, I had no experience but believed I had the potential," said the 18-year-old.
"I wanted to see what would happen if I reached the 300m mark with the leading contenders.
"The World Championships will be another new experience for me, but I believe I have the potential to earn a medal. I know the kind of experienced runners I'll be competing with there, like Kerr and Cole Hocker, the Olympic champion. But I don't feel intimidated in any way as I know the training I've done and the advice I've received will be enough to achieve good results in Tokyo. I'll just take it one round at a time."
Koech was born 16km from Eldoret City in Naiberi before moving to Kewapmoi. His father passed away before he was born, so he and his nine siblings were raised by their mother. No one else in his family is a runner.
"One of my brothers is a pastor, another a driver, another a teacher, and the other a mechanic," says Koech.
Koech was inspired to take up athletics by the alumni of his school, St Francis Kimuron High. World record-holder David Rudisha and 2021 Olympic champion Emmanuel Korir.