Beatrice Chepkoech explains her main shortcoming as she triumphs in unfamiliar race

3000m steeplechase world record holder Beatrice Chepkoech was in a class of her own at the third Athletics Kenya (AK) track and field meet held at the Nyayo National Stadium on Saturday, January 27, 2024.

The 32-year-old surprised most athletics fans when she took part in the 5000m race and comfortably won it. She led from the start and went on to cross the finishing line in a time of 15:22.06s.

Speaking to SportPesa News shortly after the race, Chepkoech disclosed that her main challenge recently has been speed endurance.

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According to her, she ran the 5000m race instead of her 3000m steeplechase speciality to improve her speed endurance ahead of the busy 2024 season.

"Actually I am looking for speed endurance. The season is still fresh, so I am working on my speed," she stated.

Speed endurance basically refers to the ability of a runner to maintain high speed.

The 2019 World Athletics Championships gold medallist further divulged that she will take part in an indoor event next month in Italy.

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"I think next week but two I will be doing indoors in Turin. I will run 1500m race. What I am lacking is speed. So, I want to start this season indoors, at least to gain that speed," she commented.

Chepkoech, who was born in Bomet County, will be seeking to win the elusive 3000m steeplechase Olympic Games gold medal in the 2024 edition which is scheduled to be held in Paris, France from July.

In Paris, Chepkoech is expected to go head-to-head with the likes of Kenyan-born athletes Winfred Yavi Mutile and Norah Cheruto Tanui. Yavi, who is the reigning world champion, changed her citizenship to Bahrain while Tanui switched allegiance to Kazakhstan.

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Olympic Games defending champion Peruth Chemutai is also likely to be in the mix. Peruth won Uganda's first ever gold medal in the discipline at the delayed Tokyo 2020 edition, crossing the finishing line in 9:01.54.

Her time was slower than the current world record of 8:44.32 that Chepkoech set at the Monaco Diamond League six years ago.

United States representative Courtney Frerichs and Kenya's Hyvin Kiyeng settled for silver and bronze medals respectively in Tokyo. Frerichs stopped her stopwatch at 9:04.79 while Kiyeng crossed the finishing line in 9:05.39.

Besides Chepkoech, other Kenyan runners who are expected to make it to Kenya’s 3000m steeplechase team to the Paris Olympic Games are the highly-rated duo of Faith Cherotich and Jackline Chepkoech.

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