- Faith Kipyegon won the 1500m race in a meeting record
- World Champion Timothy Cheruiyot finished third
- Eugene was the third stop of the Diamond League
Faith Kipyegon was the only Kenyan to win in the third stop of the Diamond League in Eugene, United States, after clinching victory in a new meeting record in the women’s 1500m.
The two-time Olympic champion who finished second in her season opener in Doha in the 3,000m, showed her superb and devastating finishing kick to win the women’s 1500m race in a time of 3mins, 52.59secs.
Kipyegon’s time was the ninth fastest in the 1500m history and it sets her up nicely towards qualification for the World Championships and Commonwealth Games.
She beat Ethiopia’s World Championship bronze medalist Gudaf Tsegay who timed 3mins, 54.29secs.
“It was a really good race today. I was not expecting such a quick time today, but I’m really happy about the race, the meet record. It was a surprise. For me, I just wanted to open my season in a nice way. Open my 1500 in a nice way, and focus myself for the world championship,” she said after the race.
Meanwhile, in the corresponding men’s Bowerman’s mile, the Kenyan duo of Abel Kipsang and world champion Timothy Cheruiyot finished third and fourth in a race won by Norway’s Jakob Ingebrigtsen.
Kispang who has been in sizzling form this season could not replicate his form as he finished fourth, timing 3:50.87 which ranks as his personal best in the race.
Reigning world champion Cheruiyot timed 3:50.77 with winner Ingebrigtsen clocking a world leading time of 3:49.76. Australian Oliver Hoare was second. Vincent Keter finished a distant 12th.
In the women’s steeplechase, Kenyan-born Kazakhstani Norah Jeruto clinched victory after clocking a world leading time of 8:57.97. Another Kenyan born athlete, Winfred Yavi Mutile who now runs for Bahrain was second in a personal best time of 8:58.71.
Norah Jeruto and Winfred Yavi competing in the women’s steeplechase
Former World Under-18 and Under-20 champion Celiphine Chespol was Kenya’s best finisher, coming home sixth while reigning world under 20 champion Jackline Chepkoech clocked a new Personal best time of 9:15.97 in finishing seventh.
World record holder and reigning world champion Beatrice Chepkoech did not compete in the race despite having been earlier named in the starting list.
In the sprints, the Jamaican duo of Elaine Thompson-Herah and Shelly-Anne Fraser Pryce won the women’s 100m and 200m.
Fraser Pryce who was competing in her first Diamond League race of the season clocked 22.41secs to win the women’s race while Thompson Herah timed 10.79secs in winning the women’s race.
Meanwhile, America’s Trayvon Bromell won a star-studded men’s 100m in 9.93sec. Compatriot Fred Kerley, silver medallist at the Tokyo Olympics last year, was second in 9.98 and reigning world champion Christian Coleman, still working his way back after an 18-month suspension for violating doping whereabouts rules, completed a US podium sweep in 10.04.
After Eugene, the Diamond League now heads to Rabat, Morocco, next weekend.
You must be logged in to post a comment Login