- Faith Kipyegon is expected to lead Kenya’s hunt for gold medals at the Tokyo World Athletics Championships 2025.
- Kipyegon would be seeking to defend the 5000m and 1500m gold medals she won at the 2023 Budapest World Athletics Championships.
- Besides Kipyegon, Beatrice Chebet, Emmanuel Wanyonyi and Faith Cherotich are some of the other Kenyan athletes who are favorites to win world titles in Tokyo.
Can Kenya rule the world? At the much awaited World Athletics Championships 2025, all the attention will be on Kenyan runners led by the brilliant Faith Kipyegon as they hunt for gold medals.
Kipyegon has had an impressive career since representing Kenya for the first time more than a decade ago and the World Athletics Championships that is set to be held in Tokyo, Japan between September 13 and September 21, provides her and the rest of the Kenyan runners a chance to cement their legacies.
With Kipyegon set to defend the two gold medals she won in the 2023 Budapest edition, join SportPesa Blog as we explore which Kenyan athletes have a higher chance of winning world titles in Tokyo.
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Faith Kipyegon
Kipyegon, who is popularly known as the “Smiling Assassin”, won two gold medals at the World Athletics Championships 2023 that was held in Budapest, Hungary.
She did so in spectacular fashion, winning the 1500m and 5000m in 3:54.87 and 14:53.88 respectively.
Kipyegon, who has featured in a number of races this season, heads to Tokyo with more experience and hunger for success.
However, it is not clear whether the athlete who is set to feature in the historic Nike Breaking4 Project on June 26, 2025, will compete in both 1500m and 5000m races in Tokyo.
Emmanuel Wanyonyi
Another Kenyan runner who is a favorite to win a title in the Tokyo World Athletics Championships 2025 is Emmanuel Wanyonyi.
Fresh from winning his maiden 800m Olympic Games gold medal in Paris, Wanyonyi will prepare for the Tokyo championships with improved confidence.
The 20-year-old will face stiff competition from the likes of the defending 800m world champion Marco Arop of Canada and Algeria’s Djamel Sedjati.
Faith Cherotich
Kipyegon’s training mate Faith Cherotich is emerging as a strong favorite to win the 3000m Steeplechase women’s gold medal at the World Athletics Championships 2025.
Cherotich is enjoying an excellent form at the moment that has seen her win two consecutive Diamond League titles (Doha and Oslo), even breaking the meeting record in Oslo a few days ago.
In addition, Cherotich has gained more experience since winning the World Athletics Championships junior title in 2022 and a bronze medal at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.
Therefore, Cherotich is likely to win the elusive 3000m Steeplechase gold medal for Kenya in Tokyo.
Sharon Lokedi
Since Ruth Chepngetich’s breathtaking display at the 2019 Doha World Athletics Championships, no Kenyan woman has managed to lay her hands on the coveted title.
The lack of recent success in the discipline is likely to come to an end in the World Athletics Championships 2025 due to the deep pool of talent that Athletics Kenya has at its disposal.
One of the names that is likely to be on that list that is expected to be released in the near future is the reigning Boston Marathon champion Sharon Lokedi.
Lokedi, who won a bronze medal for Kenya in the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, stands a good chance of bringing the country glory in Tokyo.
The 31-year-old is at her prime and she is also a fighter who never gives up no matter how hard the going gets.
Sabastian Sawe
Besides Kipyegon, Wanyonyi, Lokedi, and Cherotich, Sabastian Sawe is the other Kenyan runner who is likely to podium in the Tokyo World Athletics Championships 2025.
Sawe has posted excellent results since making his full marathon debut at the 2024 Valencia Marathon edition.
His breathtaking performance at the 2025 London Marathon edition that saw him beat the likes of Eliud Kipchoge, makes him a gold medal contender should he get the ticket to represent Kenya in the Tokyo World Athletics Championships.
Beatrice Chebet
Finally, the high-flying Beatrice Chebet is Kenya’s best bet to shine at the Tokyo World Athletics Championships 2025.
Chebet has enjoyed an unbeaten run since winning both the 5000m and 10000m gold medals at the Paris Olympic Games and she is expected to continue with her dominance in Tokyo.
One of the most interesting duels in Tokyo may be the 5000m women’s race where the world would likely see Kipyegon and Chebet battling it out for the coveted title. But one thing is clear, a Kenyan is expected to triumph in that race.