Cherotich undeterred despite losing to Yavi at Prefontaine Classic

Olympic bronze medallist Faith Cherotich is not reading too much into her second-place finish at the Prefontaine Classic, where she was beaten by Olympic champion Winfred Yavi in a sizzling women’s 3000m steeplechase showdown.

The 20-year-old Kenyan clocked a personal best 8:48.71 behind Yavi’s commanding 8:45.25; in what was the fastest time in the world this year, and the third-fastest ever in the water-and-barrier event.

Cherotich’s coach Bernard Rono admitted it was a tough race but one full of positives.

“We knew with Yavi and Peruth (Chemutai) in the mix it wasn’t going to be easy, but such competition is what builds a champion,” Rono told Citizen Digital.

Yavi’s win at Hayward Field in Eugene places her just behind the all-time greats , Kenya's  Beatrice Chepkoech’s world record of 8:44.32 from Monaco in 2018, and her own 8:44.39 set earlier in 2024 Rome Diamond league which was just 0.07 seconds off the world record.

Despite the loss, Cherotich has already proven her class this season, having beaten Yavi in their last two Diamond League duels in Oslo and Doha.

Cherotich who trains at the Kalyet Athletics Training Camp in Londiani, Kericho County under Coach Bernard Rono will focus at the 2025 World Championship trials scheduled for July 22 at the Ulinzi Sports Complex in Nairobi.

“Faith is back home now. We’re training hard and ticking the boxes. Focus now shifts to the trials, with the bigger target being the Tokyo World Championships,” Rono averred

Cherotich has been on an upward trajectory since winning her maiden Diamond League title in Brussels last year, clocking 9:02.36.

This season, she opened her campaign in Doha with a strong 9:05.08, before posting back-to-back victories in Oslo (9:02.60) and Paris (8:53.37) in the Diamond League circuit.

The Diamond League continues in Monaco on July 11. However, the next women’s 3000m steeplechase race will take place in Lausanne on August 20, followed by the final in Zurich on August 27 , with other  stops in Silesia,  and Brussels.

The Wanda Diamond League Final returns to Zurich for the first time since 2022.

The series will wrap up just ahead of the 2025 World Athletics Championships, scheduled for September 13–21 in Tokyo