Zurich Diamond League: Teenage Prodigy Edmund Serem Aims to Keep Steeplechase Crown in the Family

World Under-20 3,000m champion Edmund Serem will be looking to extend his family’s legacy when he lines up for the Zurich Diamond League final on Thursday night.

The 19-year-old Kenyan steps into the spotlight with his elder brother, Amos Serem, sidelined by injury, hoping to keep the prestigious steeplechase crown under the Serem name.

Last year, Amos stunned the athletics world in Brussels, surging past double Olympic champion Soufiane El Bakkali in the final stretch to clinch the trophy in 8:06.90.

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Now, with Amos recovering from a leg injury sustained at the Athletics Kenya track and field weekend meeting in Kapsabet in June, the responsibility shifts to the younger sibling.

Edmund has already built momentum in his first senior season, steadily climbing the Diamond League ladder and cementing his place among the world’s elite.

“I am using the Diamond League races to sharpen my endurance and barrier clearance before the World Championships,” Serem said at the national trials, where he sealed his ticket to his maiden global senior competition.

The teenager’s Diamond League journey began in April in Xiamen, where he clocked 8:08.50 to finish fourth against a seasoned field.

He followed it up in Shanghai with a gritty second-place finish in 8:08.68, just behind Ethiopia’s Abrham Sime. His steady improvement was evident in Rabat, where he lowered his personal best to 8:07.47 while taking third behind El Bakkali and Germany’s Frederick Ruppert.

In July, Serem’s biggest statement came in Monaco, where he smashed his lifetime best with an 8:04.00 finish, placing third in a hotly contested race.

That performance confirmed his status as one of the rising stars in the men’s steeplechase, alongside rivals such as Japan’s Ryuji Miura and Ethiopia’s Samuel Firewu.

Serem also tasted victory on home soil at the Kip Keino Classic, where he held off a strong Ethiopian challenge to win in 8:27.68. That win, cheered on by a passionate home crowd, boosted his confidence ahead of tougher international tests.

He returned to dominate the Kenyan trials in July, storming to victory in 8:38.91 to book his spot at the World Championships.

Heading into Zurich, the youngster carries not only form but also the advantage of leading the Diamond League standings with 24 points.

El Bakkali sits close behind with 23, while Firewu is third on 19.

Serem’s rivals in Zurich will include Tunisia’s Mohamed Amin Jhinaoui and Germany’s Ruppert, ensuring a fierce showdown.