ATHLETICS – BAHRAIN’S world and Olympic champion Winfred Yavi put on a sensational performance early this morning en route to claiming a stunning victory at the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, California, in the US.
Yavi won a star-studded and ultra-quick women’s 3,000 metres steeplechase while setting a new meeting record and clocking the fastest time in the world this year.
The Paris 2024 Olympics gold-medallist was in a class of her own in the event, taking the win with a comfortable gap over her closest challengers.
The race marked her third appearance in this year’s Wanda Diamond League – the sport’s premier one-day meeting series held annually under World Athletics, the international governing body of track and field.
It was also her first triumph of this campaign, having finished as runner-up in both her previous outings – both to Kenya’s Faith Cherotich, who she defeated today by more than three seconds.
Yavi spearheaded a highly competitive field that saw each of the top eight post either their personal or season’s best.
Yavi began the run pacing herself behind the early leaders, which included Peruth Chemutai, last year’s Olympic silver-medallist in the steeplechase, and Cherotich, who was the bronze-medallist in Paris.
The trio battled throughout the distance and took turns heading the field, until the end of the penultimate lap when Yavi took full control. She put in a devastating kick heading towards the bell and gradually extended her gap during the final lap.
After clearing the final hurdle, Yavi was assured of first place and she posted a winning time of eight minutes 45.25 seconds – a new best mark in Eugene, the quickest for 2025 in the steeplechase, and the first time she has dipped below the nine-minute mark this season.
Yavi shattered the old meeting record which she herself set in 2023 of 8:50.66, while she also took down the previous world lead held by Cherotich of 8:53.57.
The 25-year-old superstar was also not far from her personal best of 8:44.39, which she set last year and is an Asian and Bahraini record. That mark is also the second-fastest time ever, slower only than the current world record of 8:44.32.
Cherotich finished in second place today in 8:48.71, while Chemutai was third in 8:51.77. Norah Jeruto of Kazakhstan was fourth in 8:59.46, Sembo Almayew of Ethiopia fifth in 8:59.90, and Gabrielle Jennings of the US sixth in 9:06.61.
Rounding off the top eight amongst the 16 finishers were Alemnat Walle of Ethiopia in 9:06.88 and Kaylee Mitchell of the US in 9:08.66.
Yavi was the only Bahraini who ran today in the Prefontaine Classic. She is expected to be amongst the kingdom’s top athletes who will be competing at this year’s World Athletics Championships, set to take place in Tokyo from September 13 to 21.
patrick@gdnmedia.bh
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