Phanuel Koech Eyes Tokyo Glory Facing Josh Kerr, Azeddine Habz and Jakob Ingebrigtsen

The young Kenyan Phanuel Koech targets Tokyo glory after record runs, ready to face Josh Kerr, Azeddine Habz, Jakob Ingebrigtsen.

If you went searching for breakout stars in athletics this year, you would not miss the name Phanuel Koech.

The Kenyan teenager has lit up the track in just a handful of senior-level races, putting his name firmly on the global stage and setting expectations high ahead of the World Championships in Tokyo.

Two months ago in Paris, Koech stunned the athletics world by finishing second in his first-ever Diamond League race, clocking 3:27.72.

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Not only did the time smash the world U20 record, but it also placed him ninth on the senior all-time list, edging Olympic bronze medallist Yared Nuguse out of the top 10. His rise has been nothing short of sensational.

“I am looking ahead; I am no longer focusing on the U20 category,” Koech said in an interview with The Standard.

“While I value the world record I ran in Paris, which will stay in the history books as a great moment in my career, beating Josh Kerr at the London Diamond League was a greater moment for me as it shows the potential I have and that I am now able to compete against senior athletes.”

In London a month after Paris, Koech built on that momentum, winning the Diamond League race in 3:28.82 and taking down reigning world champion Josh Kerr.

The victory confirmed that Paris was no fluke, and that Koech could go toe-to-toe with the very best.

Just weeks earlier, he had already claimed another impressive win at the Continental Tour Gold meeting in Ostrava with 3:29.05. That means the 18-year-old now owns three of the four fastest U20 times in history. Yet, records are not his primary motivation.

Learning Fast, Dreaming Big

His run in Paris, Koech admits, was meant to be about gaining experience. He had no expectations other than testing himself against the elite. But his fearless front-running showed that he belongs at the highest level.

“Running my first Diamond League race in Paris, I had no experience but believed I had the potential,” he explained.

“I wanted to see what would happen if I reached the 300m mark with the leading contenders.”

That confidence will be crucial in Tokyo, where he will face a stacked field including Kerr, Olympic champion Cole Hocker, and France’s Azeddine Habz, who has clocked 3:27.49 this year.

Rising Dutch stars Niels Laros (3:29.20) and Stefan Nillessen (3:29.23) will also be in contention, making the 1500m one of the most competitive events of the championships.

From Eldoret to the World Stage

Koech’s journey is rooted in humble beginnings. Born 16km from Eldoret City in Naiberi, he grew up in Kewapmoi after losing his father before birth.

Raised by his mother alongside nine siblings, athletics was not part of the family tradition.

“One of my brothers is a pastor, another a driver, another a teacher, and the other a mechanic,” he shared.

What steered Koech toward running was inspiration from his school, St Francis Kimuron High, whose alumni include Olympic champion Emmanuel Korir and world record-holder David Rudisha. Following in their footsteps, Koech is now carving his own path.

But as Tokyo approaches, the teenager refuses to be daunted by reputations.

“The World Championships will be another new experience for me, but I believe I have the potential to earn a medal. I know the kind of experienced runners I’ll be competing with there, like Kerr and Cole Hocker, the Olympic champion.

But I don’t feel intimidated in any way as I know the training I’ve done and the advice I’ve received will be enough to achieve good results in Tokyo. I’ll just take it one round at a time," he concluded.

At just 18, Koech has already rewritten records and defeated champions.

Now, the world waits to see whether the fearless teenager from Eldoret can crown his breakout season with a global medal in Tokyo.