Steeplechasers face huge barriers as they hurdle to Olympics glory

Kenya's Beatrice Chepkoech celebrates after winning in the Women's 3000m Steeplechase final at the 2019 IAAF Athletics World Championships at the Khalifa International Stadium in Doha on September 30, 2019. (AFP)

The writing is on the wall. In less than 40 days, Kenya’s men and women’s 3000m steeplechase team face an uphill task at the Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan.

For the men’s team, it remains a riddle as to whether they stretch Kenyan dominance in the race that started way back at the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City where Amos Biwott wore the crown –a record 11 titles so far. Kipchoge Keino became the second Kenyan to win gold in the race at the 1972 Olympics in Munich.