Bahrain's reigning world champion Winfred Yavi had a modest start to her athletics season early yesterday morning, taking ninth place in an ultra-quick women’s 3,000 metres steeplechase race at the Prefontaine Classic, held in Eugene, Oregon, in the US.
Having won her maiden world title to headline a stellar 2023, Yavi has headed into this Olympic year as a favourite in her discipline, but had a slow start to her campaign at the Wanda Diamond League meeting against the best in the world – many of whom she is expected to face in her medal bid at the fast-approaching Paris Olympics.
The 24-year-old completed the race in nine minutes 21.62 seconds, nearly half-a-minute behind winner Peruth Chemutai of Uganda, who clocked an impressive mark of 8:55.09, which is the fastest time in the event so far this year.
Beatrice Chepkoech and Faith Cherotich followed in second and third place, respectively. Yavi beat the Kenyan pair en route to claiming her world championship gold medal last season, but this time they were ahead at the line, with Chepkoech finishing in 8:56.51 and Cherotich in 9:04.45.
A total of 17 athletes took part in the steeplechase in Eugene. Yavi was the kingdom’s only competitor in the meet.
Yavi enjoyed an outstanding 2023 season. She not only claimed the steeplechase gold medal at the worlds in Budapest, but also captured an Asian Games double gold after winning both the steeplechase and the women’s 1,500. Furthermore, Yavi clinched her first-ever Diamond League title, and also set the year’s world leading time of 8:50.66, which is also an Asian record and a Bahrain record.
Yavi has her eyes on Paris Olympics gold, and is also hoping to challenge the steeplechase world record of 8:44.32, which is held by Chepkoech.
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