World Under-20 3,000m steeplechase champion Edmund Serem is on a mission to extend his family’s legacy on the global stage when he lines up for the Diamond League Final in Zurich on August 16.
The 17-year-old prodigy, who has been a revelation in this season’s Diamond League circuit, is looking to replicate the heroics of his elder brother.
Edmund's sibling, Amos Serem, stunned the world last year by storming to victory at the Brussels Diamond League final, dismantling a star-studded field that included double Olympic and world champion Soufiane El Bakkali of Morocco.
In Brussels, Amos clocked 8:06.90, outkicking El Bakkali, who settled for second place in 8:08.60 and Tunisia's Mohammed Jhinaoui, who completed the podium in 8:09.68.
Now, with the family torch firmly in his grip, young Serem leads the 2025 Diamond League steeplechase standings with 24 points, just one point clear of El Bakkali. Ethiopia’s Samuel Firewu trails in third with 19 points, while Kenya’s Simon Koech sits fourth with 12 points.
Serem's Diamond League campaign began on April 26 in Xiamen, where he clocked 8:08.50 to finish fourth. He followed that up with a second-place finish in Shanghai on May 3, clocking 8:08.68, just behind Ethiopia’s Abrham Sime, who won in 8:07.92.
In Rabat on May 25, Serem earned another podium, clocking 8:07.47 before shaving down his personal best to 8:04.00 in Monaco on July 11, his fastest time this season. With a narrow lead at the top, Serem is eyeing top results in the Zurich final, which will propel his World Championship ambitions. "My next race will be the Diamond League final in Zurich in August," Serem said.
Having already run with elite stars in the Diamond League meeting, Serem is bullish about his chances ahead of the Zurich final and Tokyo World Championships. "I am hoping for good results. I have run with most of the elites, so I now have the confidence. I expect good results in Tokyo," he added.
On Tuesday, he secured his ticket to the global showpiece during the national trials, cruising to an 8:38.91 victory. He led Koech (8:39.97) and Olympic bronze medallist Abraham Kibiwot (8:43.90). Reflecting on the race, Serem noted that his exploits in Monaco had given him much-needed confidence heading into the trials.
"The race was good, I had prepared myself well. Last week, as I was coming from Monaco, I was confident I would perform well in the trials," he said. His confidence mainly stemmed from the fact that he had the fastest time this year of all the competitors lined up.
"I am currently leading in Kenya with my time of 8:04, so this has given me a lot of confidence in my races," he added. Despite his youthful energy and rising star status, Serem was well aware of the depth and experience of the opposition. "The race was not easy because I was up against Olympians and Olympic medallists, so I knew they had experience."
"However, I was very sure I would make the team, if not finishing in first place, then maybe second place," he noted.
His confidence remained unshaken, even as his brother, Amos, was forced to withdraw from the trials due to a nagging leg injury he had suffered earlier in the season during Athletics Kenya's weekend meetings.
"My brother had started recovering, so I knew we would be with him at the trials, but recently his leg started paining him again, so he decided not to come and risk it."
With Tokyo now firmly in sight, Serem hopes his journey will bring pride to his elder brother. "That killed my morale, but I decided to come and push myself so I can also make a name for myself. If he sees me running at the World Championships, I know he will be proud," he added.
Before Zurich and Tokyo, Serem hopes to sharpen his endurance and speed. "I want to work on my endurance and speed as well as my technique over the barrier," he said.
