Kenya’s former world 1500m champion Timothy Cheruiyot produced a dominant display to win the national trials on Saturday and vowed to recapture his world title in Budapest.
The 2019 world champion and Tokyo Olympic silver medallist is relishing being back to full fitness after two years of injury that left him finishing only sixth at the last world championships in Eugene, Oregon.
He ran a world leading time of 3mins 31.41sec in Los Angeles in May and followed that up with another tactical show at the Kenyan trials to clock 3:34.1, beating the world indoor champion Abel Kipsang (3:34.30) at the finish.
“Today was about winning smart and not about looking at the time. Experience carried the day and I am happy I have come back strong,” said Cheruiyot.
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“I look forward to reclaiming my title in Budapest,” he added.
But in Hungary the Kenyan will face tough opposition from Norway’s Olympic champion Jacob Ingebrigsten.
The world under-20 champion Reynold Cheruiyot was third at 3:34.34.
Nelly Chepchirchir took advantage of the absence of two-time world champion Faith Kipyegon, who has a wild card for the Budapest worlds, to win the women’s race in 3:59.77.
The women’s 3000m steeplechase world record holder Beatrice Chepkoech also celebrated her comeback from injury with an emphatic victory in her speciality.
“I am excited that I am back to form again after a long injury.I am going to Budapest to win back my world title” said Chepkoech, who won in Doha in 2019 but failed to compete in the 2022 world championships in Oregon due to injury.
Newcomer Simon Koech celebrated his maiden win in the men’s 3000m steeplechase as the younger crop of Kenyans enter the former Kenyan dominant event.
Two-time world and Olympic champion Conseslus Kipruto dropped out halfway through the race, leaving Koech as the winner in a time of 8:18.43.
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