Not often does the women’s 3000m Steeplechase generate huge interests like the expectation we now have about the World Record (WR) being broken going into Rio 2016 Olympics, which is made possible by the sporting rivalry now built up between Hyving Kiyeng and Ruth Jebet.
Both have Kenyan roots, however Jebet now competes for Bahrain after switching Nationalities in 2014 and competing for them at the World Junior Championships in Oregon, Eugene USA.
Talk about Eugene, it was there that Jebet further announced herself to the world, when she alongside Kiyeng ran one of the if not best women’s 3000m Steeplechase race ever witnessed.
That race was so gripping that you wouldn’t have known who won without the aid of a replay. Not only was it very interesting, both women ran the 2nd & 3rd fastest times in history.
Up to the last 400m, Jebet held an almost 60m gap over Kiyeng, but she held on for dear life to cross the line, narrowly beating the world champion and winning with a time of 8:59.96.
Somehow Kiyeng didn’t realize how big a threat Jebet was, as she made a tremendous move, adding extra pace and practically flying over the barriers in a bid to catch up with her. Although she did catch her at the line, but it was late as she came in 2nd in 9:00.01. It really could have gone either way.
Even when WR holder Gulnara Galkina won GOLD at the Beijing 2008 Olympics with a mark of 8:58.81, it wasn’t with the goosebumps both Kiyeng and Jebet gave spectators in Eugene. These two are the more likely to break that WR soon, and it could be in Rio.
The men’s Steeplchase will grope in envy watching what’s on display in the female category. Not even Conseslus Kipruto, Jairus Birech & the veteran Ezekiel Kemboi can match that.
Kiyeng and Jebet are both world champions in different categories. They have each tasted victories on a big stage, and no doubt would crave for a more bigger podium, the Olympics.
Whoever wins the race when they square up in Rio will be the one with who gets her tactics accurately, any slip-up and the title could go to the other person.
