NAIROBI, Kenya, Aug 22 – Amos Serem dazzled with a brilliant finishing kick, blazing the home stretch to clinch the World Athletics Under-20 Championship steeplechase title with a time of 8mins, 30.72secs.
Serem was already sure of the gold after skipping past the last water hurdle and went on to start waving at the crowd as he urged them to raise the noise.
He topped it up with the famous ‘Kemboi dance’, re-making the famous celebratory jig by two-time Olympic and four-time World Champion Ezekiel Kemboi.
“I am always inspired by him and I want to run like him and that’s why I celebrated like that. He is my role model,” an excited Serem said after clinching the gold.
Simon Koech came third for bronze in 8mins, 33.15secs with Ethiopia’s Tadese Tekele coming in between for silver.
Simon Koech and Amos Serem celebrate after winning gold and bronze at the World U20 Championships. PHOTO/Raymond Makhaya
The two Kenyans dominated the race from the start and they were never going to let it go.
With three laps to go, Serem and Koech showed their intent, moving up the field and creating a gap. Ethiopian Tadese took the cue and followed right behind.
But At the bell, Koech began to tire off and the Ethiopian moved to second. Serem was till holding steady upfront. At the backstraight Tadese reduced the gap on Serem and once they jumped the water barrier together, the Kenyan took the cue
He glanced to his side and probably seeing the worry on the Team Kenya faces, he signalled his hands telling them to calm down.
Striding at the home straight, the Kenyan put on the afterburners and raised his hands in the sky celebrating, finish line 50m away and the Ethiopian grinning tooth to tooth as he tried to close the gap.
“I was just telling the Kenyans to relax. This is a Kenyan race and we cannot allow anyone to take it from us. We saw what happened at the Olympics and we cannot allow it to happen again.” Said Serem after the race.
Koech who won the Kenyan trials disclosed later that he had picked up an injury mid-race and pushed himself to try and finish in a medal position.
