Kenya’s Purity Chepkirui on Sunday afternoon won the Gold medal in 1500 m competition in the world under 20 championship at Kasarani stadium,Nairobi after nine years a record that was last won by Faith Chepng’etich  in 2012 Barcelona.

Chepkirui  who trains in Tiloa, Keringet, Nakuru County under coach Michael Siele finished the race clocking 4.16.07  ahead of her compatriot Winnie Jemutai who settled in the second position bagging the bronze medal after clocking  4:18.99 while Ethiopia’s Diribe Welteji finished in the third position to take silver in 4.26.45.

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Speaking after the competition Chepkirui said the championship having been hosted at home  was one of her biggest motivation in her victory to win the gold medal.

“The fact that we had not won the title since 2012 gave me the zeal to win the event. I would not have let my country down with the event being staged at home,” said Chepkirui.

Chepkirui added that the her only fear was from Ethiopia’s Diribe Welteji but she had to produce her best results for her country.

“Just the mere fact that I am wearing a Kenyan jersey gave me the much needed motivation to bring glory to our country. I knew my Ethiopian rival will bring a fight to the race and I had made up my mind that I had to produce my best performance,” said Chepkirui.

Jemutai on her side was happy having won the bronze medal and she’s now eying for the Under-20 team for the World Cross Country Championships next year.

“The field was strong and winning bronze is a surprise. I now want to focus on training to see if I will make the Under-20 team for the World Cross Country Championships next year,” said Jemutai.

Earlier on Emmanuel Wanyonyi delivered won the gold medal in men’s 800 meters clocking 1:43.76 to take Kenya’s medal tally to eleven : six gold, one silver and four bronze with compatriot Noah Kibet finishing third in 1:44. 88 to bag bronze in the World Athletics Under-20 Championships.

Wanyonyi said he’s working on his personal best to see him bring down Rudisha’s world record.

“Running a time of 1:43.76 at high altitude and setting a championship record has just confirmed that indeed I am good in this race. I will keep pushing to see how much I can lower my new personal best, who knows maybe I can one day bring down David Rudisha’s World Record,” said Wanyonyi.

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The competition came to an end on Sunday evening,

Tittle Defense

Due to the age limitations on the competition it is rare that athletes get the opportunity to defend previous individual titles. A total of 22 athletes have managed this feat, eight of them men and fourteen women. In addition to this Anita Wayermann on the 3000 m title after taking the 1500 m title two years earlier.

The competition was launched as the IAAF World Junior Championships in Athletics in 1986 and renamed to IAAF World U20 Championships in November 2015. The current name was adapted with the name change of the sports governing body in 2019.

Anneisha McLaughlin-Whilby is the most successful athlete at the championships, having won one gold and four silver in individual and relay sprinting events between 2000 and 2004. Chris Nelloms, Davidson Ezinwa and Dexter Lee share the position of most successful male athlete, at four medals each.