ATHLETICS – BAHRAIN’S Winfred Yavi narrowly missed out on the victory last night in a star-studded women’s 3,000 metres steeplechase at Memorial Van Damme in Brussels, Belgium – the two-day finale of this season’s prestigious Diamond League.
The reigning Olympic champion and former world champion was in the lead midway through the race’s final lap, but was overtaken on the water jump by current world champion Faith Cherotich from Kenya, who powered on to the win.
Yavi battled hard until the end but had to settle for third place as she was overtaken down the home straight by runner-up Doris Lemngole, also from Kenya.
The 26-year-old Bahraini registered a finishing time of eight minutes 53.54 seconds. Cherotich triumphed in a new meeting record of 8:51.61, while Lemngole followed in 8:52.86.
Taking fourth place behind Yavi was Marwa Bouzayani from Tunisia in 8:57.02, while ex-Olympic champion Peruth Chemutai from Uganda was fifth in 8:59.77.
Rounding out the race’s classification from sixth through 10th, respectively, were American Lexy Halladay (9:05.36), Ethiopian Kena Tufa (9:12.34), American Gabrielle Jennings (9:14.05), German Lea Meyer (9:22.91), and Briton Elise Thorner (9:34.68).
With her result, Yavi came just short of regaining the steeplechase’s Diamond League crown, which she previously won in 2023. The iconic Diamond Trophy is the first major international athletics title for 2026, and it is up for grabs annually at the end of the Diamond League calendar.
Meanwhile, Bahrain’s superstar long-distance specialist Birhanu Balew will be gunning for the maiden Diamond Trophy of his career tonight on the second and concluding day of the Brussels meeting.
The 30-year-old is one of 12 athletes set to compete in the men’s 5,000m, scheduled for a 9.22pm start, Bahrain time. Balew heads into Memorial Van Damme having clocked his personal best over the distance this season of 12:47.73, which is also an Asian and Bahraini record.
patrick@gdnmedia.bh
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