Reynold Cheruiyot eyes strong showing in Liévin Indoors debut

The meeting, a key stop on the World Athletics Indoor Tour Gold circuit, comes barely a month before the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Toruń, Poland (March 20–22). 

For Cheruiyot, Liévin is more than just another indoor outing; it is the first step in a carefully plotted season aimed at global dominance. The clash with Nader recalls last year’s dramatic World Championships in Tokyo, where Nader stormed to gold in 3:34.10, edging Britain’s Jake Wightman (3:34.12) and Cheruiyot (3:34.25) in a thrilling blanket finish.

“I don’t want to promise a lot,” Cheruiyot told Citizen Digital in Liévin. “I respect Nader; he is the most experienced on the indoor circuit. I’m making my debut and will target the world indoor entry standard.”

The men’s 1,500m qualification standard for the World Indoor Championships is set at 3:36.00, and Cheruiyot is keen to hit that mark early in the season.

Cheruiyot heads to Liévin fresh from victory at the Sirikwa Classic Cross Country Tour, where he completed the 2 km loop in 5:52 ahead of Daniel Munguti (5:53) and Timothy Cheruiyot (5:54), signaling a strong fitness base ahead of the indoor campaign.

The Liévin 1,500 m field is stacked. Nader opened his season with a 3,000 m win in Ostrava ahead of South Africa’s Tshepo Tshite, while Irish record holder Andrew Coscoran will also compete. Kenya’s indoor specialist Festus Lagat is in the lineup as well, but all eyes will be on the young Kenyan, who is fast moving from promising talent to proven contender.

At just 21, Reynold Kipkorir Cheruiyot is emerging as the face of Kenya’s next generation in middle-distance running. 

His progression has been rapid and deliberate: from running 3:35 in 2022 to a stunning 3:29.91 in August 2025. Breaking the 3:30 barrier is widely regarded as the hallmark of global elite status in the 1,500 m—a feat Cheruiyot achieved emphatically.

“I’ve matured both physically and mentally,” he said recently. “Running under 3:30 showed me I belong at the very top. Now it’s about consistency and winning medals.”

Cheruiyot’s versatility sets him apart. In May 2025, he stepped up to the 5,000m at the Doha Diamond League and won in 13:16.40, showcasing a devastating final lap that left seasoned specialists behind.

He has hinted that doubling in the 1,500 m and 5,000 m at major championships is a real possibility. “My first Diamond League this season will again be in Doha, and I plan to run the 5,000 m. I will also compete in the 1,500 m. I’m not ruling out attempting both at championships—we'll see how the season unfolds,” Cheruiyot added.