World 3000m steeplechase champion, Winfred Yavi stormed to a blistering second fastest time ever in the world at the Prefontaine Classic held on Saturday night at the Hayward Field in Oregon.
The 23 year-old who is a Kenyan-born Bahraini, who has beaten World Steeplechase recorder Beatrice Chepkoech three times this season, went into history books as the fifth woman to run under nine minutes when she cut the tape in a world leading time of 8:50.66.
“My simple trick is to use my head a strategy that her opponents don’t use. This is an advice that I borrowed from Olympic and World champion over the distance Soufiane El Bakkali of Morocco,” Yavi revealed.
Yavi who transferred her allegiance to the oil-rich Middle Eastern state at the age of fifteen, becoming eligible to compete for her adopted nation in August 2016, won her first Diamond League and became the second fastest woman in her country after the former world record holder Ruth Jebet of 8:52.78.
She now seats in second place below Chepkoech in ranking of women who have gone under nine minute with the suspended Norah Jebet from Kazakhstan seating in fourth in 8:53.02 and Ethiopia’s Werkuha Getachew wrapping up the top five positions in 8:54.61.
Yavi who a ran a personal best, Meet Record and National Record was followed by Commonwealth Games champion Chepkoech in a season best of 8:51.67 with the World bronze medallist, Faith Cherotich also gpoing into history books as the sixth woman to go under the nine minutes barrier in a new personal best of 8:59.65.
SIX STEEPLECHASE WOMEN FASTEST TIME IN THE WORLD
- Beatrice Chepkoech (KEN) 8:44.32 WR
- Winfred Yavi (BAH) 8:50.66
- Ruth Jebet (BAH) 8:52.78
- Norah Jeruto (KAZ) 8:53.02
- Werkuha Getachew (ETH) 8:54.61
- Faith Cherotich (KEN) 8:59.65
Facebook Comments