Beatrice Chepkoech has won gold in the 3000m steeple chase race during the IAAF World Athletics Championship.
She won the race in a record 8:57:84, making her the world champion.
This brings to two the number of gold medals Kenya has won.
Chepkoech has waited two long years for her chance to make amends for what happened at the IAAF World Championships London 2017 when she parades for the final on Monday.
The Kenyan steeplechaser headed to the British capital seemingly on the verge of a breakthrough, but she greatly reduced her chances of a medal in the opening stages when she missed the water jump and had to double back to clear it, losing valuable ground on the leaders.
She eventually finished one place shy of a medal in fourth, replicating her finish from the 2016 Olympic Games one year prior.
Chepkoech rebounded two weeks later when she clocked a PB of 8:59.84 to finish second at the IAAF Diamond League final, finishing comfortably ahead of world champion Emma Coburn. And she continued her breakthrough in 2018 by breaking the world record with 8:44.32 in Monaco. Ever since she has consolidated her status as the world’s No.1 steeplechaser.
Throughout 2018 and 2019, Chepkoech has won 15 of her 17 races, including heats, and has picked up two Diamond trophies as well as victories at the 2018 African Championships and Continental Cup. She owns the world-leading mark of 8:55.58 heading into Doha and she will be desperate to finally make it on to a global championships podium.
She has shown glimpses of vulnerability, though, and was beaten by compatriot Norah Jeruto at the IAAF Diamond League meeting in Oslo.
