Olympic 3,000m steeplechase bronze medalist and five-time Kenya Defence Forces Championships winner Benjamin Kigen was left dismayed after conceding defeat to Simon Koech in the specialty on May 26 in the KDF championships.
The teenager, Koech, born in 2003 in Bomet, brought Kigen’s five-year reign to a halt in his first senior race.
Koech pulled away from the leading pack with two laps to go and went on to win in eight minutes and 28.02 seconds.
The 2021 World Athletics under-20 3,000m steeplechase bronze medalist edged out Kigen to a second-place finish with a difference of six seconds as Wesley Langat claimed bronze in eight minutes, 34.95 sec.
“It really feels great to win my first title in my maiden participation in the KDF event,” said a joyous Koech.
“Though it was my first trial, I am not surprised to win considering the training and preparations I had. I was ready for the competition. Coming to compete against Kigen gave me more boost,” he noted.
Koech, coached by John Kimetto, was recruited into KDF after his showpiece in the under-20 World athletics championships last year.
The 20-year-old was inspired to join steeplechase by Olympic and World steeplechase champions Ezekiel Kemboi and Conseslus Kipruto as well.
Koech feels ready for the national championships slated for June 22-24 even as he eyes a world championships slot in the team Kenya.
“Back to the camp, I will have to work on improving my time. Securing a slot for the world championships will be my aim," Koech said.
He added that his dream is to bring back the lost glory days in the steeplechase which has been Kenya’s race for the longest time.
“My ultimate dream is to help Kenya reclaim the Olympic and World steeplechase titles that were once our race. I want to pick up from where my mentors left and achieve similar accolades to what they achieved,” he added.
