• ATHLETICS

• Frank Rotich 2 days ago

World champion Cherotich to renew rivalry with Yavi and Chemutai in Xiamen and Prefontaine Classic

Reigning world 3,000m steeplechase champion Faith Cherotich is preparing for another major test after being confirmed for the Prefontaine Classic Wanda Diamond League meeting in Eugene, Oregon on July 4.

The Kenyan star will face two of her biggest rivals, Winfred Yavi and Peruth Chemutai, in what is expected to be one of the headline races of the night.

Cherotich started her Diamond League season with a second-place finish in Shanghai last weekend and will now be hoping to return to winning ways against the strong field in Eugene. Chemutai won the race in Shanghai.

However, she has an opportunity to beat her rivals when she lines up on Saturday against them at Xiamen Diamond League meeting.

The three athletes last faced each other at the World Championships in Tokyo last September, where they all finished on the podium in a thrilling final.

Their previous Diamond League clash also came at the Prefontaine Classic last year, when Kenyan-born Bahraini runner Yavi won the race in a meeting record and world-leading time of 8:45.25.

Despite that defeat, Cherotich enjoyed an impressive 2025 season. She defeated Yavi in both Doha and Oslo before defending her Diamond League title in Zurich. The Kenyan teenager later crowned her season by winning the world title in Tokyo with a championship record time of 8:51.59.

Cherotich has already renewed her rivalry with Chemutai this season. The Ugandan Olympic champion narrowly beat the Kenyan during the opening Diamond League meeting in Shanghai/Keqiao after a strong sprint finish on the home straight.

Chemutai’s victory was her first Diamond League win since her success in Eugene in 2024, showing that she will also be among the favourites heading into the July showdown.

The Prefontaine Classic will be the ninth stop of the 2026 Wanda Diamond League season, which started in Shanghai in May and will conclude with the finals in Brussels in September.