- Faith Kipyegon clinched the 1500m Diamond Trophy
- Simon Koech was the winner in the men’s steeplechase
- Ferdinand Omanyala finished third in the men’s 100m
Faith Kipyegon and Simon Koech won the Diamond Trophy in their respective races, while African record holder Ferdinand Omanyala finished third at the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, Oregon.
Kipyegon continued to make a marker in her season with an assured victory in the women’s 1500m while 20-year-old Koech won his first ever Diamond Trophy after dominating the steeple.
Kipyegon, with three world records and two World Championship titles to her name this season was the outright favourite heading into the women’s 1500m on Saturday night.
And from the start, she showed that she is a woman on form as she slowly created a gap between her and the chasing pack.
By the time they were getting to the bell, Kipyegon was almost 25 metres ahead of the chasing pack clearly in a class of her own.
She blazed through to the finish line, clinching victory in 3:50.72, a new Meet record for the Prefontaine Classic.
Ethiopia’s Welteji Diribe was second in a new personal best time of 3:53.93, while Briton Laura Muir ran her fastest time this season at third in 3:55.16.
Didn’t watch the clock
“I didn’t watch the clock, I was just running my race and see what will happen at the finish line. So it was amazing, to run a meeting record, just fantastic. I didn’t worry about anything, I was just going and not looking back who is following me, just go to the tape and see what I was going to run,” Kipyegon said after the race.
She added; “This was amazing, starting with the World Record and now winning the trophy. It has been a fantastic year for me and I really thank God for that. Now I go back home to enjoy a little bit.”
Elsewhere, Simon Koech, 20, clinched his first ever Diamond Trophy in only his second Diamond League race of the year with a brilliant performance in the men’s steeplechase.
Simon Koech wins the steeplechase. PHOTO/Diamond League/Twitter
Koech ran a solo race for the last two laps of the race, and he was rewarded for his bravery with victory in a time of 8:06.26. Ethiopia’s was second in 8:10.74 while Abraham Kibiwott, Benjamin Kigen and Amos Serem finished a distant sixth, seventh and eighth.
The Kenyan quartet had all started the race with some good momentum, but once it was just 800m to go, Koech kicked and the rest couldn’t respond.
Omanyala third in the 100m
Meanwhile, African record holder Ferdinand Omanyala finished the season after running his second fastest time of the season, finishing third in the men’s 100m.
Omanyala clocked 9.85, same as second placed world champion Noah Lyles, while Chris Coleman finished first in 9.83, equaling his personal best time.
Omanyala came into the race placed second in the Diamond League standings, and he showed a brilliant display, only that it was inches away from being a first ever Diamond Trophy.
“I am glad to have finished the season this way. It was a good performance on the day and I am now looking forward to the new campaign,” Omanyala said after the race.
For winning the Diamond Trophy, Kipyegon and Koech both went home with a cool Sh4.4mn (USD30,000) while Omanyala pocketed Sh1mn (USD7,000) for his third place finish.
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