Kenyans head for final hurdle

Women 3,000 Steeplechase Athletics - World Athletics Championships – women’s 3000 metres steeplechase heats – London Stadium, London, Britain – August 9, 2017 – Hyvin Kiyeng Jepkemoi of Kenya, Fadwa Sidi Madane of Morocco and Purity Cherotich Kirui of Kenya compete. REUTERS/Phil Noble

At 11:25pm tonight, athletics enthusiasts will have their eyes keenly trained on the women's 3,000m steeplechase final. No doubt this will offer yet another chance for Kenyans to add more medals to their harvest basket.

In a dominant display befitting their status as a distance running powerhouse, Kenyans, led by defending champion Hyvin Kiyeng, Beatrice Chepkoech, 18-year-old prodigy Celliphine Chespol and 2014 Commonwealth champion Purity Cherotich all qualified safely for the final.

The proper race in heat one began at the bell, as Kiyeng and Sofia Assefa moved up. The final water jump saw Morocco's Fadwa Madane take the lead, but she could do little on the final straight as four – Gesa Krause of Germany, Kiyeng, and Colleen Quigley of the US whizzed past her.

Kiyeng was happy to run at a sedate early pace in the opening heat. The runners went through 1,000m in 3:18.99 – barely inside a 10-minute pace. The same applied at 2km, which the field, led by Morocco's Madane, passed in 6:35.

In the end, Kiyeng, 25, comfortably timed 9:39.89 to finish second in her heat behind Krause, who won in 9:39.86.

Purity Cherotich, the older sister of 800m bronze medallist Kipyegon Bett, earned an automatic qualifying third spot in 9:40.53 after Quigley, who recorded 9:40.07, was subsequently disqualified for lane infringement.

Neither Madane nor Assefa made the final cut, paying for their slow opening speed.

In contrast, the second of the three heats was more brisk, as Chepkoech began swiftly, breaking away from all but the diminutive figure of Bahrain's Ruth Jebet, a former Kenyan, whom she beat at their last IAAF Diamond League meeting in Paris.

The Kericho-born Chepkoech produced the fastest qualifier, clocking 9:19.03 to earn a marginal win over the world record holder and Olympic champion Jebet, who recorded 9:19.52. Jebet is a major threat for the Kenyan girls.

Chepkoech, who starred during the IAAF World Cross Country Championships in March, will also be chasing honours in the final.