Ethiopia’s Sembo Almayew made history on Thursday, becoming the first Ethiopian to win the women’s steeplechase title at the World U20 Championships.
The 18-year-old Olympian delivered a commanding performance at the event in Lima, Peru, setting a new championship record with a time of 9:12.71.
Almayew’s victory saw her improve upon her silver medal from two years ago and surpass the previous record set by Kenya’s Celliphine Chespol in 2018 by 0.07 seconds.
Almayew’s triumph was marked by a decisive move on the penultimate lap, where she surged ahead of her main competitor, Uganda’s Loice Chekwemoi. Chekwemoi finished in second place with a time of 9:18.84, while Kenya’s Diana Chepkemoi took bronze, clocking in at 9:29.84.
Almayew’s victory not only secures her place in history as Ethiopia’s first U20 women’s steeplechase champion but also cements her reputation as one of the brightest young talents in the sport.
Her performance in Lima follows a strong showing at the Paris Olympics, indicating her growing stature on the global stage.
Other Highlights from the World U20 Championships
In the women’s 400m final, Czechia’s Lurdes Gloria Manuel made a statement by claiming gold with a time of 51.29 seconds. Manuel, who also competed in the Paris Olympics, demonstrated her potential as a future senior star by pulling away from the competition in the final 100 meters.
Canada’s Dianna Proctor set a personal best of 51.98 seconds to earn silver, while the USA’s Zaya Akins took bronze with a time of 52.00 seconds.
The men’s 400m final saw South Africa’s Udeme Okon emerge victorious, powering through the last 100 meters to win in 45.69 seconds. He was followed by Jayden Davis of the USA, who secured silver with a time of 46.08 seconds, and fellow American Sidi Njie, who took bronze in 46.29 seconds.
In the men’s 3000m, there was a surprise outcome as Norway’s Andreas Fjeld Halvorsen captured gold. Halvorsen crossed the finish line in 8:20.56, narrowly edging out Kenya’s Denis Kipkoech, who finished in 8:20.79. Britain’s Edward Bird claimed the bronze in 8:21.00.
The race featured a dramatic shift in pace in the final kilometer, with Halvorsen executing a well-timed surge on the final bend to take the lead and secure the victory.
“I’m getting in the shape of my life now, these last days and weeks were great,” Halvorsen said after his win. “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.”
The World U20 Championships in Lima have continued to showcase exceptional young talent from around the globe, with athletes like Almayew, Manuel, Okon, and Halvorsen making their mark on the international stage and signaling bright futures ahead.
