Kenya’s Chebet, Kimeli clinch Diamond Trophy victories

• Chebet and Kimeli both won the 5,000m
• This is the final leg of the Diamond League season
• The final round of races are set for Thursday

Kenya’s Beatrice Chebet and Nicholas Kimeli produced sizzling runs in the women and men’s 5,000m on Wednesday night to clinch Diamond Trophy victories in the season ending Zurich leg.

African and Commonwealth Games champion Chebet clocked 14:31.03 to win the women’s race edging out compatriot Margaret Chelimo while Kimeli won the men’s race in a time of 12:59.05, ahead of South Sudan’s Dominic Lobalu.

Chebet, who finished third in Brussels last week showed superb resilience to win her race and end her season on a high.

“I am so happy and I don’t have the words to explain but it’s just a happy night. It’s (the win) is giving me confidence for next year. It was a good race and more exciting because I won it in the last moment. It has been a long season and to finish off with a good performance is great,” said Chebet.

She added; “Now it is time to rest and focus on next season especially for the World Championships.”

Chebet trailed the Ethiopian duo of Gudaf Tsegay and Taye Ejgayehu for most of the race, with Netherlands’ Sifan Hassan also in the mix while Chelimo sat in the base of the leading pack.

Heading to the home stretch of the differently designed outdoor track, Chebet was sitting third behind the Ethiopian duo. However, she began to charge up and with less than 100m to go, she powered past them.

Chelimo who won bronze at the World Championships also gave in a last minute push as she rose from the last of the leading five to come home second and complete a 1-2 finish for the Kenyans.

Kimeli powers to victory in the men’s race

Nicholas Kimeli celebrates with his trophy

Meanwhile in the men’s race, Kimeli who finished third in Brussels last weekend clinched the Trophy after finishing top in a time of 12:59.05.

“I had to dig in and do my best and I am very happy with the victory. It has been a tough and long season for me and now the focus is to get some rest and prepare for next season. Finishing with a win is definitely a huge morale booster,” he said.

Heading to the final kilometre of the race, Kimeli was calculative and sat in fifth place with the leading pack. As they went on the ascend almost 250m to the finish line, he started tomake his move and slowly ate up the lead to sit top.

In the final 100m, he set the pace ablaze, opening up a good gap and despite Lobalu’s late attempt to try catch up with him, the Kenyan had already wrapped up the race.

The South Sudanese timed 12:59.40 while American Grant Fisher was third.

Cornelius Kemboi finished sixth while Jacob Krop who won the race in Brussels last weekend did not manage to finish the race.

The second part of the Zurich finale will go down on Thursday evening.