Bahrain’s recently crowned world champion Winfred Yavi triumphs in Zurich meet

TDT | Manama    

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Bahrain’s recently crowned world champion Winfred Yavi continued from where she left off earlier this week at World Athletics Championships 2023 in Budapest.

Just four days after capturing the women’s 3,000 metres steeplechase world title, Winfred last night stormed to a fantastic victory at the Weltklasse Zurich Diamond League meeting in Switzerland.

Winfred was competing against a number of the same top-class elite athletes that she faced at the Hungarian capital, and she once again came out as the winner in thrilling fashion. “This is all I wanted and what I was working for,” Winfred said after the race.

“I have been working hard and training hard to be a world champion. And to win the Diamond League in Zurich, that was my next dream. “I am very excited; it felt almost like the same race as in Budapest, so I wanted to confirm my victory. I am enjoying my victory today as the crowd is cheering so much and the stadium is full; it is an honour to be here.

“Now, this is giving me a big motivation and I know I can be better than this. I have dreamed about this for a long time and it makes me feel that I have to believe in myself and to keep on believing.

“My program is still full. I have the final in Eugene and then the Asian Games. Still a long season to go, but I feel strong.” The 23-year-old Bahraini started things off amongst the leading four in last night’s 14-athlete field. After the pacemaker dropped out, Winfred found herself in familiar territory, contending with the Kenyan pair of Beatrice Chepkoech and Faith Cherotich—the two athletes who joined her on the podium at this year’s worlds.

Chepkoech led most of the way including at the bell, until Winfred kicked into top gear down the back straight and into the final bend. Chepkoech put in a strong fight and the pair were running shoulder to shoulder as they cleared the final hurdle, but Winfred was too good on the night and crossed the finish around two metres ahead of Chepkoech, winning with a time of nine minutes 03.19 seconds.

Chepkoech finished in 9:03.70, while Cherotich came third in 9:07.59, completing the same top three from Budapest in the same order. Luiza Gega of Albania came fourth with a new national record of 9:09.64, while Tunisian Marwa Bouzayani finished fifth in 9:11.98.

Zerfe Wondemagegn of Ethiopia rounded off the top six in 9:13.73, while her compatriot Lomi Muleta (9:14.66) and Germany’s Olivia Gurth (9:21.82) completed the top eight. Winfred was the lone Bahraini in Zurich last night. She is next scheduled to race at this season’s Diamond League finale in Eugene, Oregon, in the US on 16 and 17 September.