Peruth Chemutai could have made a statement to the world at the time the Wanda Diamond League (DL) season began in China on May 16 but most didn’t listen or decipher her message.
She won the Shanghai leg of the DL with a meeting record (MR) and world lead (WL) time of eight minutes and 51.47 seconds.
It seemed normal, after all, Chemutai is a two-time Olympic medalist and she has garnered more silverware, right from the U20 stage.
However, Chemutai’s ambition seems to be bigger after she picked her second DL win of the season by conquering Xiamen leg at the Egret Stadium on Saturday.
Chemutai peeled away from her familiar competitors in reigning Olympic champion Bahraini Winfred Yavi Mutile and world champion Kenyan Faith Cherotich in the final lap to post a new WL mark of 8:51.06.
‘Okay, I feel good. My body is feeling good,’ with beads of sweat covering her bright face, Chemutai said in a post-race interview.
The feat was historic, marking the first time a Ugandan has won two DL events in a row. And again, she delivered another WL and MR over the water-jump race.
‘Two Diamond League wins for her, which has never happened, we are moving into the right direction and the future is bright,’ Chemutai’s coach Denis Okudach remarked.
‘She totally controlled the race, she is in the best shape ever,’ her other coach Addy Ruiter stated. The temperatures were tremendously high, at around 30 degrees Centigrade, which hampered a bigger plan for Chemutai.
‘The goal was the world record but the temperatures became too high. And the humidity was high. We couldn’t get the target. Next time, the world record is possible for her,’ Okudach stated.
‘It was very hot. That was the reason that Peruth had to slow down a little bit around 2000 metres,’ Ruiter noted. The world record is currently held by Kenyan Beatrice Chepkoech at 8:44.32 from July 20, 2018.
Chemutai is the third fastest ever, at 8:48.03 – a time she set in 2024 via second place at the Rome DL in Italy. Mutile is the second fastest ever at 8:44.39, when she won in Rome.
Meanwhile, Keneth Kiprop too ran just a controlled race to finish 10th in the men’s 5000 metres event in a time of 13:08.79. ‘The goal was to break 13 (minutes) but it was a good race and experience was gained,’ added Okudach.
Ethiopian Yihune Addisu won the race in a respectable 12:57.32, ahead of Germany’s Abdilaahi Mohamed and another Ethiopian Mehary Biniam.
Another Ugandan Harbert Kibet posted a season best of 13:46.45 in 15th.
XIAMEN DIAMOND LEAGUE
RACE RESULTS
WOMEN’S 3000 METRES STEEPLECHASE
1 Peruth Chemutai (UGA) 8:51.06
2 Winfred Yavi Mutile (BRN) 8:51.54
3 Faith Cherotich (KEN) 8:52.53
MEN’S 5000 METRES
1 Yihune Addisu (ETH) 12:57.32
2 Abdilaahi Mohamed (GER) 12:57.90
3 Mehary Biniam (ETH) 12:58.51
10 Keneth Kiprop (UGA) 13:08.79
15 Harbert Kibet (UGA) 13:46.45
2026 WORLD’S FASTEST FEMALE STEEPLECHASERS
8:51.06 by Peruth Chemutai (UGA) on May 23, 2026
8:51.48 by Faith Cherotich (KEN) on May 16, 2026
8:51.54 by Winfred Yavi Mutile (BRN) on May 23, 2026
8:58.09 by Marwa Bouzayani (TUN) on May 16, 2026
8:59.66 by Kena Tufa (ETH) on May 16, 2026