Veronica Nyaruai Wanjiru ran a race worthy of her status as the fastest under-18 in the world by kicking away from her compatriot Pauline Chemning Korikwiang on the last lap to clock a championship record 9:01.61.
The 15-year-old led virtually the entire way and was followed home in second by Korikwiang in 9:05.42, while Japan’s Hitomi Niiya was third in 9:10.34.
The two Kenyans went to the front from the gun and dominated proceedings before passing 1000m in 2:57.98. Korikwiang, who was second on the year’s rankings, clung on to her and by 1600m it was virtually a three-way race with Niiya holding on.
The trio passed the 2000m mark in 6:02.23 and there was never any change in the order, as first Niiya, with two laps to go, and then Korikwiang were dropped.
Wanjiru made her decisive move with 300m to go and her fellow Kenyan had no answer to her pace.
