Will Kenya dance to the top once again in Budapest?

Vivian Jepkemoi Cheruiyot of Kenya celebrates winning the women's 10,000 metres final during the 15th IAAF World Championships at the National Stadium in Beijing, China.[FILE]

Flip through athletics journals or even check out on the sports’ statistics on the internet and you are taken on a mental flight back to Kenya, where the nation sits second on the medal standings at the World Athletics Championships charts.

It now remains to be seen if these athletic machines will continue their impressive shows at the 19th World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary, on August 19-27.

Kenya has competed in every edition of the World Championships since its inception in 1983 and won the second highest number of gold medals at the biennial showpiece after the USA.  

It has won 161 medals (62 gold, 55 silver and 44 bronze), with men winning 102 medals (42 gold, 34 silver and 26 bronze) while women bask in 59 medals (20 gold, 21 silver and 18 bronze) – it ranks fourth on all-time placing tables at the competition.

A sizeable number of these jewels were won in middle and long distance races.

The nation rose to the top of the world at the 2015 event in Beijing, where they won seven gold, six silver and three bronze medals. It stands out as the best performance in Kenya’s athletics history.

But one thing has no doubt struck the global stage in the last 40 years – Kenyan athletes pull stuns at the finish line thanks to their stylish celebratory signs and antics.

Ezekiel Kemboi of Kenya dances with his country's flag around his waist after winning the men's 3000 metres steeplechase final during the15th IAAF World Championships.[FILE]

They have wowed the athletics world. From Christoper Kosgei ‘Jogoo’ winning gold in 3,000m steeplechase at the 1999 World Championships in Seville, Spain, competing barefoot to two-time Olympic 1500m champion Faith Chepngétich Kipyegon punching in the air, and then listening to 2016 Olympic javelin silver medallist Julius Yego’s scream; it’s been a sight to behold.

Then there is Vivian Cheruiyot’s one-finger salute and Ezekiel Kemboi’s theatrics in celebration.

Their spectacular shows brighten every little colour and amplify every sweet sound inside stadiums. Now expect to watch world 800m bronze medallist Mary Moraa victory jigs in Budapest next month.

Kenya has steadily ventured into new territories as Julius Yego struck Africa’s first gold in javelin while the late Nicholas Bett won the 400m hurdles at the 2015 World Championships. That was after 32 years of competing at the World Championships.

Beijing in 2015 proved to be a turning point for even Africa as Kenya topped the medals table for the first time, dethroning perpetual winners USA after amassing seven gold medals.

Kenya’s ascent in Beijing was especially aided by medals from Bett and Yego. The nation also won titles in some of their key events such as the women’s 5000m (Vivian), women’s 3000m steeplechase (Hyvin Kiyeng) and men’s 800m (David Rudisha).

But Ezekiel Kemboi and Vivian Cheruiyot stand out as Kenya’s most decorated athletes at the World Championships –each basking in four gold medals.

Kemboi won seven World Championships medals over the course of his career in the water and barriers race: four consecutive gold medals from 2009 to 2015 in the 3000m steeplechase, and three silver medals won in 2003, 2005 and 2007 while Vivian became the second woman to do the 5000m and 10,000m double at the World Championships in 2011.

Mary Moraa celebrates winning the 800m race during the Kip Keino Classic Continental Tour Nairobi 2023 meet at Kasarani Stadium on May 13, 2023. [Stafford Ondego, Standard]

Moses Kiptanui and Asbel Kiprop trail as Kenya’s three-time world champions. Kiptanui, the first man to run 3,000m steeplechase under eight minutes, won three straight titles in 1991, 1993 and 1995 as well as silver in 1997 worlds. Asbel dominated 1500m from 2011 (Daegu, South Korea), 2013 (Moscow) and 2015 in Beijing.

Kenya's dominance in the steeplechase event is such that a Kenyan-born man has won every title since 1991. But they lost grip at last year’s World Championships in Oregon, USA.

There is a legion of two-time world champions. It reads from Conseslus Kipruto, Faith Kipyegon, Hellen Obiri, Catherine Ndereba, Edna Kiplagat, Billy Konchella, Ismael Kirui, Abel Kirui and David Rudisha as well as 29 world champions.

In fact, five gold medals from Rome in 1987 went to Africa, with three of them being won by Kenya. Paul Kipkoech set the pace by becoming first African world champion after dominating the men’s 10,000m, setting a then championship record of 27:38.63 in the process.

Kenya finished fifth on the medals table that year, and the nation has consistently placed highly ever since.

Former Kenyans have also had impacts for other nations at the championships, including 2007's double champion Bernard Lagat (USA), two-time steeplechase champion Saif Saaeed Shaheen (Qatar), the younger brother of 1999 world champion Christoper Kosgei as well as and marathon winner Rose Chelimo (Bahrain).

Olympic champion Faith Kipyegon set the new world record in the mile at the Diamond League meeting in Monaco on July 21, 2023. [Diamond League] 

Faith Kipyegon was another star in Oregon and has continued to rise. After winning the world U20 1500m title in 2012, Kipyegon made her senior World Championships debut in Moscow the following year, finishing fifth in the 1500m final.

She would make the podium at the next four editions – securing silver in 2015, gold in 2017, silver in 2019 and gold again in 2022.

Kipyegon had become a mother in between those four championships, having welcomed her daughter Alyn in June 2018.

“She acts as an extra motivation for me,” Kipyegon said. “I am a mother, a mentor and a role model to my daughter. I want to show her and other girls in Kenya that you can do anything you set your mind to.”

She continues to lead by example.

Kenya's Ezekiel Kemboi celebrates after winning the gold medal in the men’s 3000m steeplechase final at the World Athletics Championships.[file]

As the World Athletics Championships Budapest draws closer, Kenyan athletes have thrown down the gauntlet with some exceptional performances.

From Kipyegon’s electrifying world records in the 1500m, mile and 5000m, all within 50 days, and Commonwealth Games 100m champion Ferdinand Omanyala to superb recent performances by Commonwealth Games 800m champion Mary Moraa and, it is yet another Kenya’s time to shine.

Questions still abound on whether Omanyala, the Africa 100m record holder, will deliver the nation’s maiden medal in 100m when called upon in Budapest next month.