Winfred Yavi Claims Steeplechase Podium in Xiamen as Faith Cherotich Continues Diamond League Quest
Olympic champion Winfred Yavi, the Kenyan-born athlete now representing Bahrain, secured a podium finish in the women's 3000m steeplechase at the Xiamen Diamond League on May 23, while Kenya's reigning world bronze medal
Winfred Yavi, the Kenyan-born Olympic steeplechase champion competing for Bahrain, secured another podium finish at the second leg of the Diamond League in Xiamen, China on Friday — while Kenya's Faith Cherotich continues her pursuit of the season-long Diamond League Trophy.
Uganda's Peruth Chemutai won the women's 3000m steeplechase in Xiamen, extending her hot streak from the opening Shanghai leg, with Yavi and Kenya's Faith Cherotich rounding out the top three.
Yavi's Continued Success for Bahrain
Yavi, who was born in Makueni County and switched her allegiance to Bahrain in 2016 at age 15, has become one of the world's most dominant steeplechasers. She won Olympic gold at the 2024 Paris Games and claimed the world title in Budapest in 2023.
The 26-year-old's story remains a complicated one for Kenyan fans. After failing to break into Kenya's notoriously deep steeplechase squad in her teenage years, Yavi accepted a Bahraini offer that promised better training support and guaranteed spots in major championships. She has since beaten her former compatriots on the world's biggest stages.
Cherotich Chasing Diamond League Glory
For Faith Cherotich, the reigning world 3000m steeplechase bronze medalist, the 2026 Diamond League represents a chance to assert her dominance in a season without a World Championships or Olympics. After two legs, the Kenyan is still hunting her first win — a third-place finish in Xiamen follows a similar result in Shanghai.
According to Capital Sports, Cherotich is among a "rich Kenyan side" competing across the Diamond League circuit. The athlete will need to find another gear if she hopes to challenge Chemutai, who has claimed back-to-back wins, and Yavi, whose consistency has made her nearly unbeatable.
The Talent Drain Debate
Yavi's success continues to fuel a long-running conversation in Kenyan athletics circles: the migration of top athletes to Gulf states and Western nations. World Athletics rejected applications from five top Kenyan distance runners — including former marathon world record holder Brigid Kosgei — to switch allegiance to Türkiye in April 2026, citing concerns about "coordinated recruitment strategies."
But Yavi, along with fellow Kenyan-born athletes like Norah Jeruto (Kazakhstan) and Ruth Jebet (Bahrain), have already carved out careers under other flags. Yavi told Kenyan media in 2024 that she made the switch after repeatedly failing to qualify for the senior Kenyan team.
What's Next
The Diamond League continues through September, with the steeplechase field expected to meet again in late May at a European stop. Cherotich will be under pressure to claim her first win of the season, while Uganda's Chemutai looks to extend her winning streak.
For the diaspora, the Xiamen results underscore both Kenya's enduring strength in middle-and long-distance events — and the ongoing challenge of retaining that talent under the national flag.
Reporting drawn from Pulse Sports Kenya, Capital Sports, Daily Nation.