The 2019 world 1,500m champion Timothy Cheruiyot and reigning NCAA 1,500m champion Rosemary Longisa will lead Kenya’s quest for gold on Saturday night in the men’s and women’s mile finals at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland.
The men’s race takes centre stage at 10:55 pm, followed by the women’s final at 11:45 pm—the closing track event of the Glasgow Games.
In a nod to track heritage, organisers replaced the traditional 1,500m with the historic one mile for the 2026 Games. The change marks 60 years since the distance was last contested at the Commonwealth Games in 1966.
Cheruiyot will be joined by 2023 African 1,500m champion Brian Komen as Kenya aims to reclaim the title.
As one of the most experienced athletes in the field, Cheruiyot is making his third Commonwealth Games appearance. He boasts back-to-back silver medals: first at the 2018 Gold Coast Games (3:35.17 behind compatriot Elijah Manang’oi’s 3:34.78), and again at Birmingham 2022 (3:30.21, narrowly edged out by Australia’s Oliver Hoare in 3:30.12).
Now, Cheruiyot — holding a mile personal best of 3:47.39 — is determined to finally capture gold.
“I feel this is a good season for me. I am injury-free and started my build-up early in October. My body is responding well,” Cheruiyot said. “This will be my third Commonwealth Games. I want to get gold this time.”
However, the Kenyan duo faces a formidable threat in Josh Kerr. The home favourite arrives in Glasgow after rewriting the record books on July 18 at the London Diamond League, where he clocked a sensational 3:42.66 to eclipse Hicham El Guerrouj’s 27-year-old world record of 3:43.13.
The stacked field also features defending champion Hoare alongside Australian teammates Adam Spencer and Cameron Myers, plus Scotland’s Jake Wightman, setting the stage for a tactical clash.
All three Kenyan entrants in the women’s final are making their Commonwealth Games debuts: NCAA champion Longisa, national 1,500m champion Naomi Korir, and rising middle-distance talent Teresiah Gateri.
Korir enters the final riding a wave of confidence after capturing her maiden national title at the Commonwealth trials on June 20, winning in 4:08.57 ahead of Gateri (4:09.60) and Longisa (4:10.01).
“I have been working to secure the national title for a long time, since 2019, and it finally came,” Korir said. “I am now hoping for the best at the Commonwealth Games.”
For Longisa, donning the national colors marks a major career milestone.
“This is something I have been dreaming of since I started running—to represent Kenya,” she said.
The Kenyan trio will face a tough challenge from a powerful Australian contingent, headlined by 2024 Olympic 1,500m silver medallist Jessica Hull, alongside Abbey Caldwell and Claudia Hollingsworth.
