Kenya reaffirmed its dominance in the men’s 3,000m steeplechase by securing all three medals at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland.
The clean sweep at Scotstoun Stadium on Monday delivered Kenya’s first gold medal of the Games and extended the country’s unbeaten streak in the event at the Commonwealth Games, a run that dates back to 1986.
Edmund Serem claimed gold after crossing the finish line in 8:18.23, while Simon Koech took silver in 8:18.59. Leonard Bett completed the all-Kenyan podium, winning bronze with a time of 8:21.63.
Speaking after the race, Serem described the victory as especially meaningful because it came during his first Commonwealth Games appearance. He said the achievement was a proud moment for both his family and the country.
The champion revealed that his father had called him several times before the race and sent a lengthy message encouraging him to attack the water barriers with confidence while assuring him of his prayers.
“The last thing he told me was, ‘Go, my son, go for it. I love you,'” Serem said.
President William Ruto congratulated the three athletes, describing their podium sweep as a proud milestone for Kenya and praising Serem for continuing the country’s rich tradition in the steeplechase.
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He also commended Koech and Bett for securing second and third places, saying they had brought honour to the nation through their outstanding performances.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen hailed the historic 1-2-3 finish, calling it another memorable moment for Kenyan athletics, while Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru joined other leaders in celebrating the trio for making history and flying the country’s flag high.
The achievement comes just days after World Athletics officially ratified Sabastian Sawe’s marathon world record.
Sawe’s time of 1:59:30 at the 2026 London Marathon became the first sub-two-hour performance in a record-eligible marathon, lowering the previous world record of 2:00:35 set by the late Kelvin Kiptum in Chicago in 2023 by 65 seconds.
His record was among nine world records recently approved by World Athletics, alongside marks set by Tigst Assefa, Mondo Duplantis and Yan Ziyi.