The 21-year-old, already a two-time Diamond League champion (2024, 2025) and a world and Olympic bronze medallist, unleashed a decisive kick in the final 400 metres and crossed the line in 8:51.59. With this time, she not only won her first senior world title but also broke the championship record by more than a second.
Meanwhile, Yavi, who went in the race with a season’s best of 8:45.25, took silver in 8:56.46. The bronze medal was clinched by Ethiopia’s Sembo Almayew after clocking his personal best of 8:58.86.
Cherotich had previously settled for bronze at both the last World Championships and the 2024 Olympics, but this time her final kick proved difficult to break down.
‘I am so grateful to be World champion’
"It feels, I am so great to be a World champion, I am so happy, it is my first time to be a world champion, the last World Championships I won a bronze medal, this is my second time, from bronze to gold, what an amazing feat,” said Cherotich.
"I knew the race was not going to be easy because there was a world champion, but I told myself before the race had started, even me I can race and become a world champion, no matter the people I was racing together, I had to have the belief of all going all the way, and it happened that I managed to go all the way and win the gold.
"I had almost given up at the 150m mark, but I always tell myself, if I have already raced where I am, why can’t I maintain the pace? But then I realised I am very strong when it comes to the last barrier, and normally have a good kick, and always believe in myself."
She concluded: “I didn’t notice or see the result (of breaking the record), at the end of the race, I only started to celebrate because it was a big day for me, I have never been a world champion, and my dream for me coming to Tokyo was to be a world champion.”
Meanwhile, Kenya’s Olympic 800m champion Emmanuel Wanyonyi believes he is up to the challenge after leading Kelvin Loti and Nicholas Kebenei into the two-lap race semi-finals scheduled for Tokyo National Stadium.
"I have tested myself and I believe I am up to the challenge," he said as quoted by The Star. "It is not just humid for me but for everyone.”
Cherotich has enjoyed a remarkable run to this stage. At the age of 17, she won the bronze medal at the 2021 World Athletics Under-20 Championships held in Nairobi. Cherotich upgraded her bronze to gold a year later, winning the title at the World U20 Championships in Cali.
In 2025, she won gold in the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo in the 3000m steeplechase.
