Phanuel Kipkosgei Koech has been officially crowned a world record holder after World Athletics ratified his blistering 1500m time from the 2025 Meeting de Paris. The announcement brings closure and celebration for a teenager whose name shot from obscurity to the top of athletics conversations in a matter of weeks.
A Time That Stopped Clocks
At just 18, Koech clocked 3:27.72 in Paris, finishing second to Azeddine Habz but eclipsing the U20 world record of 3:28.81 set by Ronald Kwemoi in 2014. That single performance vaulted him into the senior world all-time top ten, an almost unfathomable achievement for someone running only his second competitive 1500m.
From Unknown to Unmissable
Before Paris, few outside Kenya had heard of Koech. His Paris run changed that overnight. He backed it up a month later in London with a 3:28.82 victory in the Diamond League, outpacing world champion Josh Kerr and stamping the record as no mere flash in the pan.
Roots of a Rising Star
Koech’s story is rooted in the high-altitude heartland of Kenyan distance running. Born near Eldoret in Naiberi and raised in Kewapmoi, he drew inspiration from St. Francis Kimuron High alumni such as David Rudisha and Emmanuel Korir. He began competing in 2019 at Tingwa Primary School and later came under the guidance of manager Eric Lilot, who has helped steer his rapid ascent.
Training Circle and Tough Lessons
Now training alongside elite talents like Olympic 800m champion Emmanuel Wanyonyi and Diamond League 1500m champion Nelly Chepchirchir, Koech has the company and coaching to refine his raw brilliance. Yet the season has not been without setbacks: a chaotic outing at the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo—where he was tripped in the final lap and missed the semis—served as a harsh reminder of the sport’s unpredictability.
Eyes on Doha and Beyond
With the 2026 Diamond League season less than 100 days away and the opener set for Qatar Sports Club in Doha, all eyes will be on Koech. Ratification of his U20 record cements his status as one of the sport’s most electrifying prospects, and the coming season will be the stage on which he either confirms his meteoric rise or learns the next lessons on the road to greatness.
