During the race at National Stadium, New Zealand’s Geordie Beamish produced a remarkable display to defeat defending champion Soufiane El Bakkali of Morocco, and claim the gold medal, while El Bakkali took silver in 8:33.95, and Serem rounded off the podium positions with a bronze medal after clocking 8:34.56.
Serem and Germany’s Frederik Ruppert had taken an early lead, covering the first 600m in 1:49.76 and reaching halfway in 4:34.90. The duo, taking on the responsibility of pacing the race although with moderate speed, was closely followed by USA’s Daniel Michalski and Ethiopia’s Samuel Firewu.
‘It is beginning of good things to come’
Speaking after the race, the 17-year-old, who won the gold medal in the 2000m steeplechase at the 2023 African U18 Championships in Ndola, Zambia, said his bronze success was a clear warning that he was now ready and prepared to dominate for many years to come.
“We have been dominating steeplechase for many years, and for this medal, I am very sure Kenyans are very happy, and it is the beginning of good things to come,” said Serem.
He added, “I am very happy to get a medal. I promised Kenyans that I will get a medal and I did. I was aiming for a gold but nonetheless I am happy for this bronze. I am here to stay and promise to dominate for a very long time.
“The whole season I was participating in the Diamond Leagues and I managed to finish on the podium in all of them. When I came here I knew something was coming, but it would be a tough journey.”
He concluded: “At the start of the race, I was very anxious because of the massive crowd in the stadium, as well as running alongside the world record holders, but I maintained my composure. I drew my encouragement from my mentor, Eliud Kipchoge.
“He called me today and told me, ‘You are going to do this.”
Who is the young Serem?
He won the silver medal in the 3000m steeplechase at the 2024 African Championships in Athletics in Douala, Cameroon, and further won another gold at the 2024 World Athletics U20 Championships in Lima, Peru, in the 3000m steeplechase in August 2024 in a time of 8:15.28.
He competed in the 3000m steeplechase at the 2025 Xiamen Diamond League event in China, in April 2025, running a personal best time of 8:08.50. The following weekend, he secured second place in the 3000m steeplechase at the 2025 Shanghai Diamond League, running a time of 8:08.68.
In May 2025, he ran a new personal best of 8:07.47 to finish third in the 3000m steeplechase at the 2025 Meeting International Mohammed VI d'Athlétisme de Rabat, also part of the 2025 Diamond League, and followed that with a steeplechase win at the Kip Keino Classic in Nairobi on May 31st, 2025.
