Kenya is headed to Tokyo with a squad packed with Olympic champions, world record breakers, and fan-favorites. The World Athletics Championships run from 13–21 September 2025 at Japan’s National Stadium. A promising nine days of finals, storylines, and cheer.
.jpg "Top 5 Kenyan Athletes to Watch at the Tokyo 2025 World Championships") |
| Faith Kipyegon in Budapest, 2023 | Image: Erik van Leeuwen, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons |
Below are five Kenyan athletes you’ll want on your watchlist. We’ll keep it simple, clear, and practical: what they’ve done lately, why they matter in 2025, and what to look for in Tokyo.
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1) Faith Kipyegon (1500m / 5000m)
Kipyegon is the gold standard of middle-distance running. She won the Paris 2024 Olympic 1500m in an Olympic record, becoming the first athlete — male or female — to claim three Olympic 1500m titles. Then, in July 2025, she lowered her own 1500m world record to 3:48.68 at Eugene. That’s generational dominance.
Recent form highlights:
- Kipyegon’s 1500m world record in 2025 reaffirmed her speed and control late in races.
- She also closed out the Paris Games with silver in the 5000m (after a brief disqualification that was overturned), highlighting her flexibility.
Tokyo outlook: Expect the double talk again—1500m and 5000m are both in play. If you like late surges and negative splits, don’t blink in the final lap.
2) Beatrice Chebet (5000m / 10,000m)
Chebet is rewriting the long-distance rulebook. She smashed the 10,000m world record in 2024 (28:54.14 in Eugene), then won Olympic 5000m gold in Paris. In 2025, she became the first woman to break 14 minutes for 5000m (13:58.06), with the record formally ratified by World Athletics just days before Tokyo.
Recent form highlights:
- 10,000m World Record in 2024 showed her limit is sky-high.
- Olympic 5000m gold (ahead of a loaded field) proved she can win slow, fast, or chaotic races.
Tokyo outlook: A Chebet–Kipyegon rematch over 5000m is pure box office. Chebet's ability to close hard from far away makes her a must-watch.
3) Emmanuel Wanyonyi (800m)
At only 21, Wanyonyi is already an Olympic champion in the men’s 800m. His winning time in Paris came from a race described by World Athletics as one of historic depth. He then pushed his Personal Best to 1:41.11, placing him among the fastest ever.
Recent form highlights:
- Olympic gold confirmed his race craft under pressure.
- Personal Best of 1:41.11 in late 2024 signals there’s still more to come.
Tokyo outlook: The 800m race is like a chess match at sprint speed. Wanyonyi’s patience, combined with a powerful final 150m, makes him the athlete to beat in a competition where small mistakes decide medals.
4) Mary Moraa (800m)
The 2023 world champion grabbed Olympic bronze in Paris and then bounced back to set a 600m world best (1:21.63) in Berlin a few weeks later. Moraa’s combination of range (Kenyan 400m record) and fight makes every final spicy.
Recent form highlights:
- Paris 2024 bronze in a high-class final.
- 600m world best.
- Holds Kenya’s 400m record (50.38), which shows why her last-lap change of gears puts rivals at a disadvantage.
Tokyo outlook: Moraa brings a different rhythm to the 800m — sometimes hanging back, sometimes front-running — and that unpredictability is her superpower in championship rounds.
5) Ferdinand Omanyala (100m / 4x100m)
Kenya’s sprint trailblazer holds the African 100m record (9.77), set in Nairobi, and owns the national 60m record as well. In May 2025, he helped Kenya clock a national record in the men’s 4x100m (38.35), proof that the relay program is rising, too.
Recent form highlights:
- Regular Diamond League podiums in 2025 and consistent sub-10 threats keep him in every conversation.
- African record still underlines his top-end speed; the relay National Record shows added medal pathways.
Tokyo outlook: Omanyala’s improved starts and Kenya’s sharper baton work could turn heads — both individually and in the 4x100m.
When to tune in (and what to watch for)
The championships run 13–21 September 2025 in Tokyo, with multiple finals sprinkled across all nine days. Expect the main middle- and long-distance events—women’s 1500m, women’s 5000m, and men’s 800m—to highlight the prime evening sessions, while the morning slots will feature the road races and race walks. Keep the official timetable close as you plan your viewing.
Quick fan guide:
- Last-lap speed: Watch for negative splits—Kipyegon and Chebet are masters at accelerating when everyone else fades.
- Composure under chaos: Championship 800m races can look messy. Wanyonyi’s line-choosing and Moraa’s tactical tweaks decide medals in the final 50m.
- Start & drive phase: In the 100m, Omanyala’s first 40m are the tell. If he nails the start, the stopwatch usually follows.
Final take
Kenya arrives in Tokyo with stars across the track spectrum—from the lightning of Omanyala to the consistent brilliance of Kipyegon and Chebet, and the fearless racing of Wanyonyi and Moraa. If you’re only circling a few finals on your calendar, make it the women’s 1500m, women’s 5000m, men’s 800m, and the men’s 100m/4x100m relay. This is where Kenya’s biggest moments are most likely to happen.
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