Kenyan middle-distance runner Faith Chepng’etich will compete in the 800m event at the FBK Games in Hengelo, Netherlands, on Monday. The two-time Olympic 1,500m champion aims to sharpen her speed ahead of the World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon, scheduled for July 15-24.
Chepng’etich revealed the 800m race is part of her training regimen to secure a podium finish at the global championships. She won the 1,500m title at the 2017 World Championships in London but lost it to Sifan Hassan of the Netherlands in 2019. The athlete defended her 1,500m Olympic title at the 2020 Tokyo Games, which were held in 2021, having previously claimed gold at the 2016 Rio Olympics.
Recent performances include a third-place finish in the 3,000m at the Doha Diamond League on May 13 and a world-leading 1,500m time of 3:52.59 at the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, Oregon. "Competing in the 800m race is part of my training. I will be testing my speed as I prepare for the world championships in July. Speed is critical for a podium finish," she told Nation Sport.
Celliphine Chespol, a 3,000m steeplechase specialist, will also compete in Hengelo to qualify for the World Championships. The 2018 World Athletics Under-20 champion finished fifth at the Prefontaine Classic but expressed optimism about her progress. "My training has been good, and I’m improving with each race," she stated.
Kenyan-born athletes Norah Jeruto (Kazakhstan) and Winfred Yavi (Bahrain) featured in the steeplechase, with Jeruto claiming victory and Yavi securing second place. Ethiopian athletes will also compete in the 10,000m, with a national team expected to be selected for the July World Championships.
