Kenya Makes History as First Nation to Win All World Athletics Championship Distance Golds in Tokyo

Kenya has made history at the World Athletics Championships 2025 by becoming the first ever nation to clinch gold medals in all distance events in Tokyo.

Kenya cemented its place in athletics folklore at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, becoming the first country to sweep every women’s distance title on offer. 

From the two-lap 800 metres to the gruelling marathon, Kenyan runners delivered a display of dominance never before seen on the global stage.

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Faith Kipyegon, already established as one of the greatest middle-distance athletes in history, added to her legendary résumé with a commanding victory in the 1500m — her fourth world title at the distance. 

She would later face compatriot Beatrice Chebet in the 5000m final, where Chebet produced a blistering last-lap sprint to deny Kipyegon gold and secure her own place in history.

Chebet had already clinched Kenya’s first medal at the championships a few days earlier  in the 10,000m, where she executed a perfectly timed surge to add a second title in Tokyo, reaffirming her reputation as one of the most versatile distance runners of her generation.

Faith Cherotich contributed to the golden haul with a fearless performance in the 3000m steeplechase, storming to victory in a Championship Record of 8:51.59, while on the roads, 2020 Olympic champion Peres Jepchirchir delivered a masterclass of patience and strength, edging Ethiopian rival Tigst Assefa in the closing stages to win the marathon.

The fairytale ended  with Lilian Odira, who stunned a world-class field to claim the 800m crown in a Championship Record of 1:54.62, outkicking Olympic champion Keely Hodgkinson and defending champion Mary Moraa -who settled for seventh place -  in one of the most dramatic finishes of the championships. 

Odira’s triumph set the tone for a campaign in which Kenya never looked back.

By the close of competition, Kenya had secured seven gold medals - with Emmanuel Wanyonyi the only male gold medalist -  , finishing second on the overall medal table with eleven medals. Yet the real story lay in the extraordinary sweep of the women’s distance events — a feat never previously achieved by any nation.

For Kenya, a nation synonymous with distance running, Tokyo 2025 will be remembered as the moment its women rewrote history.