The reigning 3,000m Steeplechase world record holder Beatrice Chepkoech made a comeback at the 2022 Seven Hills Run held in Nijmegen, Netherlands on Sunday night, November 20, 2022.
Chepkoech, who has struggled a lot this season, clinched the title in 00:47.18 ahead of compatriot Evaline Chirchir and Uganda’s Stella Chesang.
Chirchir outpaced Chesang, with a few meters remaining to the end of the race, to settle for a second-place finish. The duo clocked 00:47.20 and 00:47.37 respectively.
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In the men’s category, no Kenyan runner appeared in the top five positions, with their East African rivals dominating the race.
Rodger’s Kibet of Uganda won the closely contested race in 00:42.08, narrowly edging out Ethiopia’s Nibret Melak who clocked 00:42.43.
Kibet’s fellow citizen Abel Sikowo crossed the finishing line in 00:42.58 to finish third.
2022 has been a year to forget for Chepkoech. She was forced to withdraw from the World Athletics Championship held in Oregon, United States due to an injury.
The Kericho-born athlete also failed to grace the Commonwealth Games.
At the Diamond League meetings, Chepkoech did not impress like she used to in previous seasons - she missed nearly all of the legs.
The 31-year-old became a household name in 2018 when she destroyed the field at the Monaco Diamond League meeting to break the world record over the distance.
She crossed the finishing line in 8:44.32, in the process breaking the previous world record set by Kenyan-born Bahrain international Ruth Jebet in 2016. By doing so, she became the first woman to run under 8:50.00.
The win in Nijmegen boosts her morale ahead of the 2023 congested season.
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