'My experience will guide the team' - Abraham Kibiwott tips Kenya to reclaim steeplechase glory

Paris Olympics steeplechase bronze medallist Abraham Kibiwott reckons that his obligation is to ensure that Kenya reclaims the steeplechase title from Moroccan Soufiane El Bakkali, the current world and Olympics champion.

This, he said, will only be possible if he works in tandem with World U20 steeplechase champion Edmund Serem and his elder brother Amos Serem, the 2021 World U20 champion, to restore the country's grip in the water and barrier event.

“My experience will guide the team. The World Championships are not about speed and time but tactical execution. We need to mentor the younger athletes to help Kenya regain its grip on the 3000m steeplechase. We will do it as a team because we all know the danger posed by El Bakkali,” Kibiwott told Citizen Digital.

Soufiane El Bakkali has become a pain in the neck of Kenyans after dominating the event since 2021. Bakkali has won all the major global championships from the delayed Tokyo Olympics to the Paris Olympics.

The tide seems to have turned in favour of Kenya after Amos Serem defied the odds to win the Diamond League Trophy in 8 mins 06.90 seconds in Brussels last September. The all-important victory gave a glimpse of hope that the country's fortunes in Steeplechase was getting back on track, and Kibiwott hopes the team can build on that to enjoy an unbeaten run going forward.   

He said he will use the Diamond League meetings to make a statement, tipping 2025 to be a year of glory for Kenyans.   

“I’m sure this year will be better for us than last year. I’ve just started my long-distance and speed work. I hope to use the 2025 Diamond League season, beginning in Xiamen, China, in April, to measure myself ahead of the World Championships," he added.

As a strategy to prolong his career though, Kibiwott will reduce his participation in Diamond League meetings. No Kenyan has tried to march Ezekiel Kemboi's achievement in steeplechase.

Kemboi is a two-time Olympic champion, claiming victory in 2004 and 2012 editions. He also clinched the world titles in 2009, 2011, 2013 and 2015.