Commonwealth Games 10,000m silver medallist Diana Wanza believes her runner-up finish and lifetime best at last weekend’s Valencia Half Marathon have laid a solid foundation for her assault on the 2027 World Athletics Championships in Beijing, China.
Wanza clocked 1:03:52 to finish second in only her second appearance over the 21km distance, shaving nearly four minutes off her previous best of 1:07:31 set in Azpeitia, Spain, on March 21.
She finished just a second behind compatriot Sheila Chepkirui, who won in 1:03:51, while Daisilah Jerono completed an all-Kenyan podium in 1:04:11.
“It was a very good experience for me in Valencia. I was able to get a huge personal best,” Wanza said.
The 27-year-old said the performance had boosted her confidence as she shifts her attention to next year’s global championships, where she hopes to represent Kenya in the women’s 10,000m. “For sure, the performance has given me a lot of confidence. The main focus for next year is the World Championships,” she added. “I will be hoping to represent the country in the 10,000m.”
Wanza heads into the 2027 season after an impressive 2026 campaign that has established her as one of Kenya’s emerging distance-running talents.
She opened the year with victory in Azpeitia before returning home to win the women’s 5,000m at the Kip Keino Classic on April 24 in 15:28.91.
She comfortably beat Mercy Chepkemoi, who clocked 15:49.85, while Dorcus Chepkwemoi finished third in 15:55.29.
The Kenyan continued her fine form at the African Senior Championships in Accra, Ghana, on May 15, where she claimed her maiden continental title in the women’s 10,000m in 31:33.26. Rwanda’s Florence Niyonkuru took silver in 31:43.73, with Ethiopia’s Asefu Abreha settling for bronze in 31:45.91.
Wanza followed up her continental triumph with a second-place finish in the women’s 10,000m at the Commonwealth Games trials, which doubled as the National Championships, on June 19. She clocked 31:56.80 behind winner Loice Chemnung, who posted 31:46.90.
At the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland, Wanza secured silver in the 10,000m after clocking 31:50.13 in a fiercely contested race.
Australia’s Rose Davies won gold in 31:39.32, while Niyonkuru took bronze in 31:55.47. Wanza’s steady progression continued at the Bhubaneswar meet in India on August 22, where she set a 5,000m personal best of 15:16.11 at the World Athletics Continental Tour Silver-level event.
With a growing medal collection and improving times across distances, Wanza hopes to translate her momentum into a place on Kenya’s team for the 2027 World Championships in Beijing.
