World Under-20 3,000m steeplechase champion Edmund Serem/ FILE
World Under-20 3,000m steeplechase champion Edmund Serem will chase the podium and a personal best time when he lines up in the Rabat Diamond League on Sunday.
The 17-year-old, who clocked a lifetime best of 8:08.50 en route to a fourth-place finish at the Xiamen Diamond League on April 26, is keen to dip under that mark in the Moroccan capital.
The Xiamen race saw Ethiopia’s Samuel Firewu (8:05.61), Morocco’s hero Soufiane El Bakkali (8:06.66) and Simon Koech (8:07.12) sweep the podium.
After an eye-catching start to his 2025 campaign, in which he finished second at the Shanghai Diamond League on May 3 in 8:08.68, Serem is confident as he heads into the Rabat duel. Ethiopia’s Abrham Sime (8:07.92) and Koech (8:09.05) were first and third.
"My target is to try and lower my personal best and claim another podium finish," Serem said in an exclusive interview.
Serem reckons his podium in Shanghai has only fueled his fire.
"Securing a podium finish in Shanghai has been a morale booster. I feel more confident now going into races," said Serem.
In Rabat, the pressure will be to run against a partisan crowd, expected to rally behind Olympic and world champion El Bakkali at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium.
But the 2024 African Championships silver medallist remains unfazed.
"I am ready for anything. I hope everything goes well and I stick to my game plan," he added.
In Morocco, Serem will be in the company of Olympic bronze medallist Abraham Kibiwot and Wilberforce Kones.
Kibiwot hopes for redemption after opening his 2025 track season on a sour note, back-to-back seventh-place finishes in Xiamen (8:10.13) and Shanghai (8:12.56).
Ethiopia's Sime will lead a strong charge, hoping to secure back-to-back victories after Shanghai.
Fresh off a dominant victory in the 5,000m at the Doha meeting, Reynold Cheruiyot eyes another win when he headlines the men's 1,500m.
He is joined by the 2021 World U20 champion Vincent Keter, Boaz Kiprugut and Festus Lagat.
Olympic 800m champion Emmanuel Wanyonyi will team up with Aaron Cheminingwa and Wycliffe Kinyamal in the 800m.
Double Olympic champion Beatrice Chebet and Janeth Chepngetich are against a strong Ethiopian charge in the women's 3,000m race.
