World Athletics U20 Championships 2024: Ethiopia's Sembo Almayew wins gold in women's 3000m steeplechase, breaks C'ship record

Sembo Almayew became the first Ethiopian woman to win 3000m steeplechase gold in World Athletics U20 Championships.

A pair of spectacular 400m finals and a championship record in the 3000m steeplechase proved the highlights on the track at the World Athletics U20 Championships 2024 on Thursday.

Sembo Almayew lived up to her favourite’s billing in fine style to become the first ever Ethiopian world U20 women’s steeplechase champion, the Paris Olympian surging clear of her chief rival Loice Chekwemoi of Uganda on the penultimate lap and coming home in 9:12.71.

Adding a gold to her silver in this event from two years ago, she also took 0.07 off the championship record set by Celliphine Chespol in 2018. Chekwemoi clocked 9:18.84 in second with Kenya’s Diana Chepkemoi taking bronze in 9:29.84. The event saw five runners clocking their personal bests in the event.

Karolina Jarosova of Czech Republic and Ebba Cronholm of Sweden set national U20 records for their nations in the women’s 3000m steeplechase.

Also Read: World Athletics U20 Championships 2024: losif Kesidis claims gold for Cyprus in men’s hammer throw

Norway’s Andreas Fjeld Halvorsen powers to gold in men’s 3000m at World Athletics U20 Championships 2024

There was an upset in the men’s 3000m as Norway’s Andreas Fjeld Halvorsen kicked to victory in 8:20.56, coming home ahead of Kenya’s Denis Kipkoech (8:20.79) and Britain’s Edward Bird (8:21.00).

It all comes down to the kick 🔥🇳🇴's Andreas Fjeld Halvorsen sprints to the 3000m gold in Lima.#WorldAthleticsU20 pic.twitter.com/bJwUr5aGKg

— World Athletics (@WorldAthletics) August 30, 2024

After a pedestrian first kilometre, the gears slowly began to shift midway through the race, and with just over a kilometre to run Kenya’s Clinton Kimutai Ngetich launched a vicious surge. He was joined at the front by Kipkoech with a lap left but faded through the field on the back straight, with Kipkoech looking the likely winner at that point.

But if he was the fly who had taken flight, then Halvorsen was the spider who was lying in wait, and the Norwegian pounced on the final bend and powered clear to a memorable gold. 

“I’m getting in the shape of my life now, these last days and weeks were great,” said Halvorsen. “I wanted to fight for the gold and that is exactly what I did. I’m grateful for everyone that helped me to do this and the ones that are going to help me get even further.”

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