Team Kenya made a positive start to the 2026 World Athletics U20 Championships in Oregon, USA, after claiming three medals on the event’s opening day on Wednesday, 5 August.Seeking to walk their talk on returning home with a bucket-load of medals, Kenya could not have asked for a better start, as they dominated the first long-distance finals at Hayward Field, winning the lot in the men’s and women’s 5000m.Download our Mozzart Sport app for more newsTop of the cream for Kenya was 19-year-old Frankline Kibet, who won his first global track title by winning gold in the men’s race in a time of 13:28.27.Kibet, who earlier this year took gold at the World Cross Country Championships in Tallahassee, Florida, led Kenya to a brilliant 1-2 finish, with his compatriot and team captain Nehemiah Kipngeno coming in second in a time of 13:30.09.Damitew Kebede of Ethiopia, meanwhile wrapped up the podium places in 13:35.38 to bag bronze.##NAJAVA_MECA_9878469##The result for Kenya ensured their dominance in the event continued, with Kibet picking up the torch from Andrew Alamisi, who also took 5000m gold two years ago in Lima, Peru.Elsewhere in the women’s 5000m race, Kenya’s Joyline Chepkemoi won Kenya her third medal of the night, taking bronze in a personal best time of 15:09.08.KSSSA: Kesogon outclass Kwanthanze to reach volleyball final against SowetoChepkemoi, who won bronze at last year’s 2025 African U20 Championships in Abeokuta, Nigeria, was no match for frontrunners Charity Cherop of Uganda and Shito Gumi of Ethiopia, who romped to gold and silver, clocking 15:03.88 and 15:07.91 respectively.19-year-old Chepkemoi was one of two Kenyans seeking to wrestle back the title last won by Beatrice Chebet in Tampere, Finland in 2018, and was joined in that quest by Cynthia Chepkirui, who again narrowly missed out on a medal by finishing fourth in a time of 15:14.86.KSSSA: From borrowing bus fare to watch volleyball, Mwitoti star dreams of building an academy back homeWith the race win, Uganda’s Cherop improved on her silver medal from the 2024 World U20 Championships in Lima.Meanwhile in women’s 3000m steeplechase, both Mercy Chepngeno and Anatasha Cheptoo booked their place in the race final, this after finishing first and second in their respective heats.©World AthleticsThere was similar plain sailing in Round One of the men’s 800m, as the duo of Nashon Pkiach and Collins Tajewou all advanced to the event’s semifinal set for Friday, 7 August.The women’s 800m did not follow a similar tangent however, after Nancy Jepngetich was disqualified from her heat due to lane infringement, leaving just one Kenyan – Marion Jepchumba – in advancing to the semifinals, after she finished fifth in her heat.Budding sprinter Louis Khawel, could, on the other hand, not advance to the men’s 100m semifinals, this after finishing fifth in his Round One heat in a time of 10.51.