ATHLETICS – Bahrain's reigning Olympic champion Winfred Yavi came away with the silver medal in the women’s 3,000 metres steeplechase yesterday at the World Athletics Championships 2025 in Tokyo, Japan.
Yavi put in a tremendous effort in her event’s final but came up just short of defending the title she won at the previous edition of the worlds in 2023, held in Budapest, Hungary.
Her silver was the first medal captured by Bahrain’s athletics national team at the Japanese capital. It was also the 15th – and fourth silver – overall for the kingdom in the history of the World Athletics Championships.
“I had really great preparation for these world championships – of course, the goal was to win, but I am really satisfied and grateful to take silver,” said Yavi after yesterday’s race.
“I had amazing support from my coach and family. They are always standing next to me.”
Yavi had a strong start in the race, going up to the front alongside early leader Peruth Chemutai of Uganda.
She maintained a steady stride as the event progressed, with Kenya’s Faith Cherotich and Kazakhstan’s Norah Jeruto joining the pace-setting pack.
At the midway point, Yavi remained just a metre behind Chemutai looking strong and controlled, and then surged to take the lead with three laps to go.
Chemutai faded and stumbled at a barrier, and a few moments later had another incident that caused her to fall on the track and drop out of the race.
Yavi was now battling Jeruto at the front, and heading into the final 1,000m powered ahead yet again.
Yavi kept her position at the bell with Cherotich and Jeruto right behind, and the Bahraini superstar appeared to be headed to a successful title-defence as they made their way down the back straight.
But heading around the final bend, Cherotich put in a game-changing kick, and took the lead from Yavi at the final water jump.
The Kenyan extended her advantage charging down the home straight, and won the gold medal with a new championship record of eight minutes 51.59 seconds.
Yavi followed in an impressive 8:56.46 for her silver, while Sembo Almayew of Ethiopia took bronze in a personal best time of 8:58.86.
“In the last 200 metres, I was feeling strong, and I tried to run to the finish, but I didn’t manage to keep my speed,” Yavi said. “I was challenged today.”
Marwa Bouzayani of Tunisia came fourth in the 15-strong field with a national record of 9:01.46, while Doris Lemngole of Kenya completed the top five in 9:02.39.
After taking her silver, Yavi expressed her ambitions of one day reclaiming the steeplechase world title along with other accolades in years to come.
“I didn’t have any extra pressure coming to Tokyo as defending champion, I just came to do my best,” Yavi said, adding: “I am still young – I hope I can win the world title again in two years and more titles in the future.
“The event I am looking forward to most next year is the Asian Games.”
Yavi’s world silver adds to the others won by Rashid Ramzi for the men’s 1,500m in 2007, Salwa Eid Naser in the women’s 400m in 2017, and Rose Chelimo in the women’s marathon in 2019.
Meanwhile, also yesterday in Tokyo, Bahrain’s Kemi Adekoya narrowly missed out on the final of the women’s 400m hurdles.
Adekoya was just one place – and one-hundredth of a second – shy of making the top eight in her event’s semi-final round, while clocking her season’s best time in the first of three races.
Competing in heat one, the 32-year-old former indoor world champion came fourth in 54.04 seconds – her fastest of the 2025 season.
Gianna Woodruff of Panama took first place with an area record of 52.66s, while Jasmine Jones of the US finished second in 53.01s as the race’s other automatic qualifier for the final.
Taking third and advancing to the medal round as a lucky loser was Emma Zapletalova from Slovakia, who had a time of 53.22s.
Winning heat two was defending world champion Femke Bol of the Netherlands in 52.31s, while taking the third heat was American Anna Cockrell in 53.28s.
Adekoya was ninth-quickest overall in the stage and was right behind the eight athletes who moved through to the medal round.
The last qualifier was Shiann Salmon from Jamaica, who was a mere one-hundredth of a second faster than Adekoya.
patrick@gdnmedia.bh
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