Bahrain’s athletes have touched down in Tokyo ahead of the 2025 World Athletics Championships, which gets underway today in the Japanese capital.
The kingdom’s hopes will be spread across track and road, with the spotlight falling immediately on the women’s marathon in the early hours of this morning. At 1:30am Bahrain time, Eunice Chumba, Shitaye Eshete, and Tigest Gashaw launch their medal bids on the streets of the Japanese capital.
Marathon of Champions
The Bahraini trio arrive in strong form. Chumba, the national record-holder, boasts a career best of 2:20:02, while Eshete has gone as quick as 2:20:32. Gashaw, the former under-18 world champion, carries a best mark of 2:24:39.
They will have to overcome a formidable rival in Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa, the 2024 Olympic silver-medallist and owner of the world’s fastest time this year at 2:15:50. Morocco’s Fatima Ezzahra Gardadi, the 2023 bronze-medallist, also lines up.
Naser Back on the Track
Later today, Bahrain’s superstar sprinter Salwa Eid Naser returns to world championship action after missing the last edition through injury. The 2019 world champion and reigning Olympic silver-medallist kicks off her 400m campaign in the heats at 1:25pm.
Naser heads to Tokyo fresh from winning the Wanda Diamond League Trophy in Zurich last month, underlining her status as one of the event favourites. The 400m semi-finals are on Tuesday, with the final set for Thursday.
Champions Ready to Defend
Tomorrow, attention turns to two more medal hopefuls: Winfred Yavi, the reigning world and Olympic champion in the women’s 3,000m steeplechase, and Kemi Adekoya, the 2016 world indoor gold-medallist in the 400m hurdles.
They will be joined later in the week by Nelly Jepkosgei in the 800m and Birhanu Balew, Bahrain’s lone male competitor, in the 5,000m. Jepkosgei’s campaign begins on Thursday, while Balew runs his heats on Friday.
Bahrain already hold a proud record at the world championships, with 14 medals across past editions — eight gold, three silver, and three bronze. With this year’s roster stacked with proven winners, Tokyo offers another chance to add to that tally.
Bahrain Competition Schedule – World Athletics Championships Tokyo 2025
Women’s Marathon
Athletes: Eunice Chumba, Shitaye Eshete, Tigest Gashaw
Women’s 400m
Athlete: Salwa Eid Naser
Heats: Sunday, 14 September, 1:25pm
Semi-final: Tuesday, 16 September, 3:05pm
Final: Thursday, 18 September, 4:24pm
Women’s 400m Hurdles
Athlete: Kemi Adekoya
Heats: Monday, 15 September, 5:20am
Semi-final: Wednesday, 17 September, 3:00pm
Final: Friday, 19 September, 3:27pm
Women’s 3,000m Steeplechase
Athlete: Winfred Yavi
Heats: Monday, 15 September, 3:15am
Final: Wednesday, 17 September, 3:57pm
Women’s 800m
Athlete: Nelly Jepkosgei
Heats: Thursday, 18 September, 1:55pm
Semi-final: Friday, 19 September, 2:45pm
Final: Sunday, 21 September, 1:35pm
Men’s 5,000m
Athlete: Birhanu Balew
Heats: Friday, 19 September, 2:05pm
Final: Sunday, 21 September, 12:50pm
AloJapan.com