Kenya's Faith Cherotich (left) and Winfred Yavi of Bahrain sprint to the finish line during the women's 3000m steeplechase race at the Doha Diamond League on May 16, 2025.
Faith Cherotich announced herself to the sport during the 2023 World Athletics Championships women’s 3,000 meters steeplechase in Budapest, Hungary.
Then a fresh faced, inexperienced 17-year-old Form Four student, she battled with her more illustrious seniors to claim bronze medal in an impressive personal best time of nine minutes and 69 seconds (9:00.69).
Kenyan-born Bahraini Winfred Yavi took gold in 8:54.29 while world record holder Kenya’s Beatrice Chepkoech settled for silver.
A year later, Cherotich was in the mix again at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games claiming a bronze medal in new PB of 8:55.15, behind winner and dominant force over the long distance hurdle race Yavi who clocked 8:52.57 followed by Ugandan Peruth Chemutai in 8:53.34
There was something special about the young Cherotich when she exhibited scant respect for her seniors at last year’s Kenya trials for the Paris Olympics, winning her speciality at Nyayo Stadium in 9:22.28 ahead the fastest woman in the world in this race, Beatrice Chepkoech, 33, who clocked 9:22.76 while Jackline Chepkoech settled for third place.
Cherotich ended the Olympic year with an emphatic announcement of her potential: she won the Diamond League title in Brussels after beating, for the first time, the formidable Yavi in Brussels in September.
The rising Cherotich stormed to victory in 9:02.36 as the naturalized Bahraini clocked 9:02.87 for second spot and Uganda’s Chemutai third in 9:07.60.
Cherotich then confessed she had conquered her of fears of challenging the likes of Yavi.
Kenya's Faith Cherotich in action during the women's 3000m steeplechase race at the Doha Diamond League on May 16, 2025.
Is Cherotich signalling the start of her era as queen of steeplechase running?
Her confidence in the game was evident on Friday night during the Doha Diamond League race at the Qatar Sports Club Stadium.
Cherotich, who turned 20 on July 13 last year, had the poise to lead the race from the early stages and then let Yavi hit the front two laps to the end.
Showing race wisdom beyond her years Cherotich comfortably trialed Yavi, like a stalking feline, before challenging the Olympic champion on the back straight.
It came down to who was strongest on the home straight and it was clear the young pretender was staking her claim to the throne as she pipped the former Kenyan to the line.
Cherotich finished in a world lead time of 9:02.36 while Yavi clocked 9:02.87 for second and with Chemutai third in 9:07.60.
“At one point I almost gave up but I have realized that I have a good finishing kick. I want to be at my peak during the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo,” Cherotich said after the race.
Kenya's Faith Cherotich celebrates with second placed Winfred Yavi of Bahrain after winning the women's 3000m steeplechase race at the Doha Diamond League on May 16, 2025.
Cherotich owns a personal best of 8:55.15 and could be looking to lower it as she talked about training harder and also polishing her final kick.
She has the time and wherewithal to do so.
“At the 2023 Budapest championships, I was still a student and I was juggling my education with training but right now I have all the time to prepare” she said.
Since the entry of the race at the World Athletics Championships in 2005, Kenya has won three gold medals through Milcah Chemos at Moscow 2013, Hyvin Kiyeng at Beijing 2015 and Beatrice Chepkoech at Doha 2019.
Interestingly, the Eugene 2022 title was won by Kenyan-born Kazakhstani Norah Jeruto before Yavi won at Budapest 2023.
Kenya's Faith Cherotich celebrates after winning the women's 3000m steeplechase race at the Doha Diamond League on May 16, 2025.
Indications are that Cherotich is the women’s 3,000m steeplechase queen in waiting and the person to return the world title to Kenya.
In other Doha results, former World Under-20 1,500m champion Reynold Cheruiyot stormed to victory in men’s 5,000m after a decisive move at the start of the home stretch in a time of 13:16.40. Switzerland’s Dominic Lobalu finished second in 13:17.70 as Ethiopia’s Balew Birhanu wrapped the podium with the same time.
“I decided to push hard in the last 400 metres. Big thanks to all the fans who were here tonight and helped me get this good result,” said Cheruiyot in a post-race interview.
Kenya’s Nelly Jepchirchir shook off a strong field to win women’s 1,500m race in in 4:05.00.
