Kenya toasts success of golden girls in Tokyo

Kenya is toasting a golden generation of female track stars after they led the nation to second place in the medal table behind the United States at the 2025 World Athletics Championships.

Female runners won six of the East African nation's seven gold medals in Tokyo, sweeping top spot on the podium in every event from 800m up to the marathon.

That remarkable run of victories culminated in a stunning upset as Lilian Odira won the 800m on Sunday, shattering her personal best by nearly two seconds as well as a 42-year-old championship record in the process.

What makes the feat even more impressive is that Odira, 1500m champion Faith Kipyegon and marathon winner Peres Jepchirchir are all mothers.

Indeed, Odira, 26, spent several years away from the track to start her family, with two boys now aged four and two, before returning to competition in 2023.

"That just [shows] that even when you are a mother you can still rule the world," former world 800m champion Janeth Jepkosgei told Newsday on the BBC World Service.

"It doesn't stop you.

"That's being a role model to the young ones. This is a way of showing also the African girl, with our culture, that you can also challenge even when you have a baby."

Jepkosgei, who also won an Olympic silver at Beijing 2008, says these performances demonstrate a cultural shift in Kenyan athletics, and within the country itself.

"During our time, when someone gets married or have a baby, the career ends," she added.

"And sometimes, with our culture, we were losing a lot of talents. But this now shows how far we can [go].

"We can change our societies, we can change our communities, we can change our culture."

Historic double for Chebet

Impressive performances abounded in Japan, with Beatrice Chebet becoming only the third woman to complete the 5,000m-10,000m double at a World Championships.

The 25-year-old, who emulated Ethiopia's Tirunesh Dibaba (Helsinki 2005) and fellow Kenyan Vivian Cheruiyot (Daegu 2011), is also the reigning Olympic champion and world record holder in both events.

"After winning the 10,000m, I eagerly wanted to win the 5,000 again, but it was not an easy race," Chebet told BBC Sport.

"For me, I just come to the track with no pressure. I'm so happy going home with two gold medals like last time in Paris, it's so amazing for me."

Her 5,000m triumph on Saturday came at the expense of Kipyegon, who finished 0.71 seconds adrift and was forced to settle for silver.

The pair celebrated their medals together and Jepkosgei thinks the competition in the Kenyan ranks drives their runners on to greater success.

"I think the Kenyan women athletes have change on their minds, the way they approach things," the 41-year-old said.

"They have the belief that they can do better than any other person.

"They have the spirit. I could see the way they were challenging each other.

"They are so united, they support each other."

Further glory for Kipyegon

Before taking silver over 5,000m Kipyegon had stormed to a historic fourth world 1500m title and extended her streak of dominance in the event with a fifth consecutive global gold.

The 31-year-old matched retired men's world record holder Hicham El Guerrouj as the only other athlete in history to amass four 1500m titles at the championships.

Kipyegon said that "only God knows" what is in store for her in the future, and David Rudisha, the two-time world and Olympic 800m champion, described her as the "darling" of Kenyan athletics.

"She means greatness," Rudisha told the More Than The Score podcast.

"We are very proud of her because of her resilience and hard work. She achieved a lot going back, having a child and then bouncing back and walking that journey to the top - it is excellence.

"To see her coming back, every year, every time, strongly, really is an inspiration to us."

What about Kenya's men?

While Kenya enjoys a golden era for its female runners, Emmanuel Wanyonyi was the only male athlete from the country to pick up gold in Japan.

The 21-year-old added the world 800m crown to his Olympic title over the same distance in Paris last year.

Elsewhere there were bronze medals for Reynold Cheruiyot over 1500m and Edmund Serem in the 3,000m steeplechase.

Jepkosgei says there is "a reason to worry" about the current lack of success by Kenyan men, particularly with many athletes deciding to quit the track to focus on road races.

"I think everything has to be restarted - the training, the approach - and we have to talk to our male athletes," she said.

"We are losing a lot of talent to the road races or marathons. When a talent comes, they normally change."

Botswana lead rest of Africa

The only other African nations to win gold medals in Tokyo were Botswana and Tanzania.

Collen Kebinatshipi took gold in the 400m and then helped Botswana display their strength in relay events once again as the country's men triumphed in the 4x400m ahead of the USA and South Africa.

Alphonce Felix Simbu secured Tanzania's first ever gold at a World Championships, with the 33-year-old edging out German Amanal Petros by 0.03s in a dramatic photo finish in the men's marathon.

Ethiopia secured two silvers and two bronzes. Yomif Kejelcha and Tigst Assefa finished second in the men's 10,000m and the women's marathon respectively, while Guduf Tsegay (women's 10,000m) and Sembo Almayew (women's 3,000m steeplechase) rounded out the podium in their events.

Djamel Sedjati secured silver for Algeria behind Wanyonyi in the 800m while Morocco's Soufiane El Bakkali was unable to defend his men's 3000m steeplechase title from Budapest, being edged into second place by Geordie Beamish of New Zealand.

Elsewhere, Tobi Amusan picked up Nigeria's only medal when she took silver in the women's 100m hurdles.

Source: Reuters