Tokyo Day Five Preview with Kerr, Moon, Tentoglou, and Yavi

Tokyo Day Five Preview with Kerr, Moon, Tentoglou, and Yavi

Day Five in Tokyo promises a showcase of speed, skill, and athletic intelligence across several marquee events, beginning with one of the most anticipated middle-distance showdowns of the year. The men’s 1500 meters will see three past world champions face off in a race that has been electric all season. Great Britain’s defending champion Josh Kerr returns to defend his title against compatriot Jake Wightman, who claimed the crown in 2022, and Kenya’s Timothy Cheruiyot, winner in 2019. This year’s field is exceptionally deep. Fourteen men have dipped under 3:30 in 2025, underscoring the intense level of competition.

Among them, 20-year-old Dutch sensation Niels Laros has been unbeaten in the 1500 meters, claiming victories at the Wanda Diamond League meeting in Brussels and the Diamond League Final in Zurich. Laros brings youth, speed, and tactical savvy to the line, presenting a genuine threat to the more experienced champions. The absence of the past two Olympic champions adds another layer of unpredictability. Jakob Ingebrigtsen, the Tokyo Olympic champion, failed to progress from the heats in his first competition since March, while Paris champion Cole Hocker was disqualified during the semifinals. The race is now wide open, but Kerr’s championship experience and composure give him a slight edge. On paper, Laros will push the pace early, but Kerr’s finishing kick could decide the outcome. Kerr appears poised to retain his crown, though Laros is likely to force a dramatic finish.

In the women’s pole vault, American Katie Moon aims to secure her second consecutive world title. The field is strong, but Moon faces the absence of Australia’s Nina Kennedy, who withdrew due to a muscle tear sustained during final preparations. This leaves Moon’s main challenges in Sandi Morris, who beat Moon at the US Championships, and France’s world indoor champion Marie-Julie Bonnin. Moon has shown remarkable consistency this season, and her ability to remain calm under pressure makes her the favorite. Expect her to clear heights methodically, maintaining composure while Morris and Bonnin attempt to close the gap. Moon’s experience in championship settings will likely prove decisive.

On the men’s long jump runway, two-time Olympic champion Miltiadis Tentoglou returns in search of his first world title at this distance. The Greek athlete set a world-leading mark of 8.46 meters in June, but his last competition before Tokyo was less convincing, with a jump of 7.66 meters at the Wanda Diamond League Final in Zurich. Tentoglou will face stiff competition from Switzerland’s Simon Ehammer, winner of that final, as well as Italy’s world indoor champion Mattia Furlani and Jamaica’s 2019 world champion Tajay Gayle. Tentoglou’s combination of power and technical precision gives him a strong chance, but Ehammer has demonstrated the ability to perform under pressure. Tentoglou will need to find his rhythm early and build confidence through consistent jumps. A return to form should be enough for him to claim gold.

The women’s 3000 meters steeplechase offers a clash of Olympic medallists and the fastest women in history in a single race. Winfred Yavi of Bahrain, the defending world champion, will look to repeat her triumph. She faces Uganda’s Peruth Chemutai, the Olympic silver medallist, and Kenya’s Faith Cherotich, who took bronze in Paris. Chemutai returns to the track where she claimed her Olympic title four years ago, bringing a strong tactical awareness that could make the race unpredictable. Yavi has maintained excellent form, consistently posting fast times and demonstrating both speed and efficiency over the barriers. Her experience in championship finals gives her a decisive advantage. Expect Yavi to lead through the early laps and rely on her strong finishing surge to hold off the challenge from Chemutai and Cherotich.