Previews15 Jul 2016


Preview: women's 3000m steeplechase – IAAF World U20 Championships Bydgoszcz 2016

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Celliphine Chespol leads the girls' 2000m steeplechase final at the IAAF World Youth Championships Cali 2015 (© Getty Images)

Celliphine Chepteek Chespol won the world U18 2000m steeplechase title in Cali last summer and the Kenyan has made a seamless transition into the U20 ranks.

The 17-year-old leads the 2016 world U20 list with an eye-catching 9:24.73 set in May. With two full seasons left as an U20 athlete, Chespol looks more than capable of breaking the world U20 record of 9:20.37 before she graduates into the senior ranks.

Chespol also impressed with a solo run at the Kenyan Trials, clocking 9:46.0 at high altitude in Nairobi ahead of Betty Chepkemoi in 10:03.2.

But surprisingly, Chespol is not the fastest woman based on lifetime bests. That accolade belongs to Ethiopian-born Bahraini Tigist Mekonnen at 9:20.65. Her best time this year stands at 9:31.84.

Improving Danish runner Anna Emilie Moller leads the chase. The 18-year-old won medals over 3000m and 5000m at the European Junior Championships last summer but she seems to have found her niche over the barriers.

Moller improved her Danish record to 9:41.43 in her last race which was also inside the qualifying standard for the Olympic Games.

USA’s Devin Clark (9:49.25) and Canada’s Charlotte Prouse (9:59.15) also arrive with sub-10-minute season’s bests to their names while the Ethiopian duo of Asmarech Nega (10:04.89) and Agrie Belachaw (10:07.9) will certainly improve on their entry times which were set at altitude in domestic competition.

Steven Mills for the IAAF

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