Yavi Second in Oslo, Eyes Tokyo Title Defence
TDT | Manama
The Bahraini star posts her season's best in Diamond League
Bahrain's Winfred Yavi, the reigning world and Olympic champion, delivered her season's best performance with a spirited second-place finish in the women's 3,000 metres steeplechase at the Oslo Bislett Games in Norway on Thursday night.
The race was part of the Wanda Diamond League, track and field's premier global one-day meeting series. Yavi clocked 9:02.76, narrowly missing out on victory to Kenya's Faith Cherotich, who won in 9:02.60—a new meeting record and the fastest time in the world this season.
Familiar Rivals, Familiar Outcome
The result mirrors their encounter at last month's Doha Diamond League, where Cherotich also edged Yavi for first place. On this occasion, the Bahraini pushed hard in the closing stages, making a move around the final bend, but the Kenyan held her off down the home straight.
Yavi, 25, remained upbeat despite the narrow loss: 'Today, I executed the race exactly as I was planning with my coach… Now, I am looking forward to the next one, which will be in Eugene.'
Focus Shifts to Tokyo
Yavi is preparing for a crucial stretch of the season, with her sights firmly set on defending her world title at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo this September. She described the Oslo crowd as 'amazing' and reaffirmed that Tokyo remains the main goal.
A former Diamond Trophy winner in 2023, Yavi has yet to break the nine-minute barrier this year, but her personal best of 8:44.39, set last season, remains the Asian and Bahraini record, and the second-fastest time in history for the women's steeplechase.
Bouzayani Third as Field Stretches Out
Marwa Bouzayani of Tunisia claimed third in Oslo with 9:06.84, some distance behind the top two. Germany's Lea Meyer followed in fourth with 9:09.21, while Lomi Muleta of Ethiopia completed the top five in 9:13.44. The race featured 14 athletes.
Balew Posts Personal Best in 5,000m
In the men's 5,000 metres, Bahrain's Birhanu Balew also ran his season's best, finishing 12th with a time of 12:56.45. While not among the front-runners, the performance marked a key progression for Balew, who is expected to represent Bahrain at the World Championships alongside Yavi.
Building Momentum Ahead of Worlds
The Oslo results serve as a valuable benchmark for Bahrain's top athletes as they prepare for Tokyo. With both Yavi and Balew rounding into form, Bahrain will approach the world championships with quiet confidence, buoyed by proven pedigree and clear intent.
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