In a world where athletics greatness often flickers and fades, Kenya has for decades glowed with unrivalled brilliance in the men’s 3,000m steeplechase event.
The steeplechase is a brutal ballet of barriers and water jumps that demands both power and poetry on the track.
In recent years, Kenya’s once-unshakable throne has wobbled.
However, in the sunlit valleys of Uasin Gishu County, a teenager dares to dream of restoring Kenya’s crown on the global front.
Edmund Serem, the reigning World Under-20 steeplechase champion, is not just another promising name in Kenya’s deep distance running vault.
He is the heartbeat of a nation’s hope, a symbol of youthful resolve, family sacrifice and the enduring spirit of a country once unrivalled in the water and barrier race.
“I know what this race means to Kenya and I am more than ready to fight to bring back our glory days on the international scene,” says the 17-year-old.
To understand the weight on young Serem’s shoulders, one must revisit the glory days.
The steeplechase was introduced at the Olympics in 1920, but it wasn’t until 1968 in Mexico City that Kenya announced itself with a thunderous arrival.
Amos Biwott stormed to gold in 8:51.02 ahead of compatriot Benjamin Kogo (8:51.56) and American George Young (8:51.86).
Biwott’s surprise win presaged Kenyan dominance in distance running.
Kipchoge Keino took the baton in 1972, and by the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles, Kenya had entered a golden era of near-total dominance.
Julius Korir’s conquest at the 1984 Los Angeles Games, where he clocked 8:11.0, opened a 32-year reign for the country with Conseslus Kipruto – at the 2016 Rio Olympics – the last Kenyan to win the title (8:03.28).
At the World Championships, Moses Kiptanui was Kenya’s first champion at the 1991 Tokyo championships, finishing in 8:12.59 and opening a 10-year undefeated streak up to the Edmonton Championships in 2001, where Reuben Kosgei was victorious.
Brimin Kipruto picked up the baton in Osaka 2007 and extended a 12-year undefeated run for Kenya with Conseslus’ triumph in 2019, Kenya’s last victory at the global show.
Ezekiel Kemboi remains the most decorated steeplechaser in Kenyan and global history, boasting two Olympic titles in Athens 2004 (8:05.81) and London 2012 (8:18.56).
He has four consecutive world titles from Berlin 2009, Daegu 2011, Moscow 2013 and Beijing 2015, as well as three consecutive silver medals from Saint Denis 2003, Helsinki 2005 and Osaka 2007.
But that spell has since been broken by Morocco’s Soufiane El Bakkali, who has snatched Olympic and world titles in quick succession, Tokyo 2020, Eugene 2022, Budapest 2023 and Paris 2024.
The Moroccan’s dominance cast a long shadow, raising questions if Kenya has lost its steeplechase grip for good.
However, Serem is eager to rewrite that script and return Kenya to its glory days.
The teenage prodigy hit the headlines last year at the World U-20 championships in Lima, Peru, when he produced a masterclass to claim gold in 8:15.28 with compatriot Mathew Kosgei (8:17.46) and Ethiopian Hailu Ayalew (8:24.08) trailing in his wake.
He has asserted his resolve and mastery with outstanding performances in his 2025 campaign.
“The season has so far been good for me. I have made my senior transition well and feel very much confident with each passing competition,” he said.
Serem made his maiden Diamond League debut in Xiamen on April 26, finishing fourth in 8:08.50.
He returned with a second-place finish in Shanghai, crossing the finish line in 8:08.68 behind Ethiopian Abraham Sime (8:07.92).
His third Diamond League appearance, in Rabat, saw him secure another podium finish, clocking 8:07.47 behind home favourite El Bakkali 8:00.70 and Germany’s Frederik Ruppert (8:01.49).
Serem’s most recent race on the track was on May 31 at the Kip Keino Classic Continental tour, where, in front of a buzzing home crowd, he clocked in 8:27.89 to outsprint Ethiopians Dinka Fikadu (8:27.97) and Gemechu Godana (8:31.82).
“At the Kip Keino, I had a little fatigue since I had just come from Rabat. However, I did not want to lose in front of the home crowd; my target was to win,” he said.
Having his father, Joseph Serem, amongst the crowd fuelled his ambitions at the Ulinzi Sports Complex.
“My father was at the stadium to support me, so I had to give my best. The competition was not that tough. The Ethiopians tried to attack in the final stretch, but I knew I had a good finishing kick to fend them off,” Serem recalled.
He has now set his targets on lowering his 8:07.47 personal best from Rabat when he lines up for the Monaco Diamond League on July 11, as he sharpens his form for the Tokyo World Championships.
“I will be featuring in the Monaco meeting next week. My target is to lower my personal best as I build up for the Tokyo World Championships,” he observed.
Having met the 8:15.00 World Championships standards, Serem reckons he, alongside his brother Amos, has what it takes to return Kenya’s glory at the grandest stage.
“I want to ensure I make Team Kenya to the World Championships. I know if we go with my brother, Amos, to Tokyo, we will produce good results and bring back Kenya’s dominance in the steeplechase.”
“I have raced against the elite athletes in the Diamond League and I have studied their running techniques. Amos showed that El Bakkali is beatable. I am confident we will do well in Tokyo.”
Amos shocked the Olympic champion Bakkali during the 2024 Diamond League final in Brussels, outsprinting the Moroccan to the trophy. Serem timed 8:06.90 as El Bakkali returned 8:08.60.
Born on December 27, 2007, in Muyeng’wet village, Kabao, Uasin Gishu County, Serem was destined to run.
Athletics is in his blood, down from his father, who had a deep love for running but lacked the support to exploit his potential. He, however, planted the seeds in his sons.
“My father was an athlete but quit due to a lack of support. He motivated my brother and me to take up athletics and used to take us to watch athletics events as well,” he revealed.
From the dusty school fields of Chemungen Primary, Serem’s love for running ignited on the track, featuring in the 5,000m and cross country.
“I usually represented my school in the county and regional games but my brother would make it to the nationals. We also used to feature in cross country meetings like the Discovery Kenya,” he said.
After completing his primary school education, he joined St Patrick’s High School in Iten, a school known for its strong athletics programmes, particularly in middle and long distances.
Though he still had a burning love for athletics, Serem briefly stepped away from running to focus on his studies.
He returned to the track in 2022, while in Form Four, hungrier than ever.
After sitting for his Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education examinations, Serem went into full training that same year in December in preparation for the 2023 season.
This paid off immediately as he made Team Kenya to the African U18 Championships in Ndola, Zambia, winning gold in the 2,000m steeplechase in 5:37.78.
That performance caught the eye of legendary coach Patrick Sang, the 1992 Olympic silver medallist, who welcomed Serem to his Kaptagat training camp.
Sang is synonymous with training the country’s top talents, including two-time Olympic marathon champion Eliud Kipchoge and triple Olympic 1,500m champion Faith Kipyegon.
In 2024, Serem flirted with the senior ranks, learning, battling and building himself.
He made the team to the African Games in March, where he placed sixth in 8:31.21.
In June that year, he missed the Olympic team to Paris by a whisker, finishing fourth at the trials in 8:24.50 behind Amos (8:20.55), Simon Koech (8:20.99) and Abraham Kibiwot (8:23.41).
“I wanted to make the team to Paris but unfortunately, I did not make the cut. I remember that at the final water jump, there were several athletes, but towards the last 100m mark, I lost ground and they outsprinted me. I was disappointed, but the experience I gained really helped me,” he said.
Serem would make his second senior continental appearance at the African Senior Championships in Douala, Cameroon, on June 23, winning silver in 8:21.94 behind Uganda’s Leonard Chemutai (8:21.30).
“At the African Championships, I wanted to prove a point that I am now ready for the senior ranks,” he observed.
The redemption arc from the disappointment at the June Olympic trials came in style at the World U20 Championships in Lima, Peru, where he delivered a tactical masterclass.
“I was very prepared for the championships. I wanted to make amends for missing the team at the Olympics and win the country a gold medal, and I am glad I did,” Serem said.
Serem has bold ambitions in the steeplechase.
“My target is to work towards the 2028 Olympics. The Olympics are every athlete’s dream,” he said.
In future, he will attempt to break Ethiopian Lamecha Girma’s world record of 7:52.11 from Parisin 2023.
“The world record is in my mind, for the future. For now, I just focus on lowering my personal best one race at a time,” he said.
Training alongside the country’s legends Kipchoge and Kipyegon, Serem said, has injected more fire into him.
“Training alongside motivates me. At camp, we just see them as normal people. We eat together and train together. They push the rest of us to do more in our events. I would like to be like them one day,” he added.
His daily training regimen includes afternoon 10km jog sessions, except for Saturday and Sunday, with the rest of the days partitioned into different activities.
“Over the weekends, we travel to our families, then get back to camp on Monday and do 10km jogs in the afternoon. Tuesdays and Saturday mornings are for speed work, whereas on Wednesday and Friday, we do 18km morning jogs. On Thursday morning, we focus on either hill work or slope work. Every day except for the weekends, we do 10km afternoon jogs,” he said.
Serem’s biggest source of inspiration and motivation is his father.
“My dad is always happy when he sees my brother and me running in big competitions. It gives me a lot of motivation. When he sees us running, he sees himself,” he concluded.
Meanwhile, Amos is equally optimistic about their exploits with Tokyo and Los Angeles in focus.
The 22-year-old burst onto the scene in 2019, lighting up the Kenya Secondary School Championships in Mombasa with a commanding 8:40.7.
He made his senior debut a year later at the Kip Keino Classic, where he placed fifth in 8:42.02, a performance that deepened his hunger for success.
But it was in 2021 that he announced himself to the world.
Competing at the World U20 Championships on home soil, he powered to gold in 8:30.72, fending off Ethiopia’s Tadese Takele (8:33.15) and compatriot Koech (8:34.79).
He clinched the bronze medal in 8:16.83 at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.
He made Team Kenya to the 2024 Paris Olympics. However, he was disappointed after finishing 14th place in the final in 8:19.74.
“We are in different camps. I am in Nike and he is in Adidas. But we always have our afternoon jogs together,” said Edmund.
“He won the World U20 title in 2021 and I wanted to win that title last year. We always push each other and it gives me confidence to run with him. If we both make the team to Tokyo, we will push each other and bring glory to the country.”
Bio Data:
Name: Edmund Serem
Age: 17
Education: KCPE; (Chemungen Primary), KCSE; St. Patrick's, Iten
Achievements:
Gold, 2023 African U18 2,000m S/C
Silver, 2024 African Senior Championships 3,000m S/C
Gold, 2024 World U20 3,000m S/C
