Every championship year, anticipation builds as Team Kenya reveals its lineup for the globe’s greatest track and field meet. The 2025 World Athletics Championships, slated for September 13-21 in Tokyo, Japan, have inspired another formidable assembly of Kenyan talent. This is not just a roll call of stars, it’s a narrative intertwining legacy, resilience, ambition, and national pride.
Experience and hunger define the 2025 Kenyan squad
At a packed Ulinzi Sports Complex in Nairobi, Olympic heroes, rising prodigies, and seasoned campaigners stood shoulder to shoulder, each with a different story, but a shared purpose: to return Kenya to the summit of global athletics. After securing ten medals in Budapest 2023, the hunger for more—especially gold—is palpable among Kenyan athletes and fans alike.
The guiding light for this generation is the blend of youth and experience. Faith Kipyegon, Beatrice Chebet, and Emmanuel Wanyonyi are at the forefront, promising fireworks on the track. Their presence brings not only speed and tactics but also infectious belief to a nation that expects nothing less than world-beating performances.
Benjamin Kigen’s unexpected journey back to steeplechase
Among the human stories at the heart of Kenya’s campaign is Benjamin Kigen’s remarkable U-turn. Once celebrated as Kenya’s steeplechase spearhead, Kigen shocked fans earlier this year by switching to the marathon. His candid explanation reveals the often-unpredictable path of an elite athlete. After missing a crucial marathon entry in April and reassessing his speed, Kigen returned to compete in steeplechase at the National Championships, finishing third with an impressive 8:39.75. Now fueled by nostalgia for Tokyo—the city where he claimed Olympic bronze in 2021—Kigen is aiming to conjure more magic at the World Championships, even if his stint in steeplechase is to be brief.
Kigen reflected, “First, I want to thank God for today’s win because I was not expecting to finish on the podium, but I have now qualified and been invited to the trials. I want to work hard ahead of the trials.” His journey underscores the relentless self-questioning and adaptation at the elite level. Returning to the discipline where his heart lies, Kigen is determined, working with younger athletes and hoping the special memories of Tokyo will fuel his ambition for a medal.
Chebet’s chase for double glory and Kenya’s 5,000m aspirations
One of the brightest stars in world athletics, Beatrice Chebet, is once again eyeing an unprecedented double across the 5,000m and 10,000m in Tokyo. Her confidence, energized by her Olympic double in Paris and unbeaten 2025 season—including a world record in the 5,000m—resonates throughout the squad. At the Ulinzi trials, Chebet finished third as part of a team-minded strategy with Janeth Chepng’etich and Agnes Jebet, emphasizing unity in pursuit of Kenyan dominance.
Chebet’s passion is clear: “Running alongside Janet and Agnes was amazing. We were running as a team to see how we are going to focus on the Tokyo World Championships and how we are going to work together as a team and bring medals home.” Her insistence on teamwork, coupled with her individual brilliance, positions Kenya for a possible historic podium sweep—especially with Faith Kipyegon and the depth of competitors like Agnes Ng’etich and Margaret Akidor.
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Selection process and the pressure of expectation
The process behind assembling Team Kenya is as intense as the competition itself. As detailed by Athletics Kenya, this year’s trials invited 150 top talents, including both established champions and hungry newcomers. The first two finishers at the trials earn automatic tickets to Tokyo, while reigning global champions like Kipyegon, Mary Moraa, and Wanyonyi bypassed trials as a reward for their consistency and status.
Final selections, especially for the marathon and events with strong depth, undergo meticulous scrutiny by Athletics Kenya, who scrutinize form, world rankings, and qualification standards. This system ensures that only athletes in peak condition, capable of challenging the world’s best, don Kenyan vests on the starting line in Tokyo.
Fresh talent and seasoned legends unite across events
This year’s team is a showcase of both familiar and new faces. Alongside Kipyegon, Chebet, and Wanyonyi, there’s: – Julius Yego, the world javelin champion determined to reignite Kenya’s field event credentials, – Ferdinand Omanyala, Africa’s fastest man, carrying hopes in the sprints, – Mary Moraa, surmounting a slow season start to lead the women’s 800m.
In distance events, Edwin Kurgat, Ishmael Kipkurui, and Benson Kiplangat all surpassed the men’s 10,000m qualification standard at the Prefontaine Classic in Oregon, demonstrating Kenya’s enduring strength even as Ethiopian runners dominated that event. For the marathon, legends like Peres Jepchirchir and reserves including Vivian Cheruiyot enrich the lineup with invaluable experience.
Women’s potential and the rise of depth
The women’s distance squad, in particular, reflects Kenya’s growing depth. Chebet leads both the 5,000m and 10,000m, backed by Agnes Jebet Ngetich and Agnes Kipngetich in the 10,000m and a potential “dream team” of Kipyegon, Chebet, Ng’etich, and Akidor in the 5,000m. Faith Cherotich, Doris Cherop, and Pamela Kosgei continue the nation’s steeplechase legacy, striving to emulate the iconic performances of their predecessors.
Athletics Kenya’s technical bench highlighted that, where necessary, the selection panel will determine who doubles up in multiple races, maximizing medal chances without overburdening any one athlete.
Bigger than medals: The spirit carrying Kenyan athletes to Tokyo
For the athletes wearing Kenyan colors, the World Championships mean more than just medals. They represent years of hard work, the pride of communities, and the pursuit of historic achievement. In the words of Kigen, “Running has changed a lot, and I want to work hard in training and pray to God because there is no shortcut. Everybody trains, and they are champions.”
This humility and hunger, from the youngest qualifiers to the nation’s greatest champions, embodies Kenya’s athletic DNA: fierce competition, deep-rooted respect, and an unwavering desire to inspire the next generation.
What to expect in Tokyo from Team Kenya
- Kenya hunts to surpass its ten-medal haul from Budapest 2023, aiming for more golds
- Faith Kipyegon pursues yet another world double, with Mary Moraa and Emmanuel Wanyonyi looking to cement their dominance
- Beatrice Chebet, with her world record form, hopes for another staggering double, possibly alongside Kenyan teammates for podium sweeps
- In the field and sprint events, Julius Yego and Ferdinand Omanyala add a critical dimension to Kenya’s medal ambitions
- The marathon squads bring together new faces and championship pedigree, seeking to reclaim golden moments last seen from Ruth Chepng’etich and Geoffrey Kirui
As the countdown to September begins, the world will watch Kenya’s star-studded squad with anticipation. Behind every name lies a story of adversity, reinvention, and unwavering faith—a reminder that for Team Kenya, the pursuit of greatness in the 2025 World Athletics Championships is as much a matter of heart as it is of speed and strength.
