Winfred Yavi brought more joy for Bahrain on the third day of athletics competitions in the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, as she won gold in the women’s 1,500 yesterday.
The 23-year-old Kenyan-born Bahraini runner surged across the finish line with a time of 4m, 11.65sec, ahead of India’s Harmilan Bains, who clocked 4m, 12.74sec and fellow Bahraini, Marta Hirpato Yota, who was timed at 4m, 15.97sec.
Yavi, who is the 3,000m steeplechase world champion, said after the race that she had “tears of joy”, adding that the cheering of the crowd had made the atmosphere akin to the Olympics.
“There were a lot of people cheering,” she said.
“It feels like the Olympics and the track looks like it’s at the world championships.”
Yavi is also the favourite to win today’s women’s 3,000m steeplechase final, after her breath-taking performance in Budapest slightly more than a month ago when she won the event at the World Athletics Championships, clocking 8m, 54.29sec – the fourth-fastest time in history.
Then, just two weeks ago, she won the 3,000m steeplechase gold again, this time at the Prefontaine Classic – which was part of the 2023 Diamond League – in Oregon, with a time of 8m, 50.66sec – the second-fastest time ever, just behind the world record of 8m, 44.32sec set by Kenya’s Beatrice Chepkoech in Monaco five years ago.
Ironically, Chepkoech finished behind Yavi in both Budapest and Oregon, clinching silver medals each time.