- Abel Kipsang finished second in the 1500m
- Soufiane El Bakkali dominated the steeplechase once again
- There are two legs left before the season ends
There were no Kenyan winners at the Lausanne leg of the World Athletics Diamond League on Friday, with Abel Kipsang being the best performer with a second spot finish in the men’s 1500m
Beatrice Chebet finished third in the women’s 3,000m while Soufiane El Bakkali continued to dominate the men’s steeplechase.
Diamond League leader in the 1500m race Kipsang put up a fight, but finished second, timing a season’s best time of 3:29.93, losing out to Olympic champion, Norwegian Jakob Ingebrigtsen who clocked a world leading time of 3:29.05.
“It was a tough outing but I am pleased with the performance. Right now the target is to prepare well for the season finale in Zurich,” said Kipsang.
The Norwegian dominated the race from start to finish and ensure he picked up a fast finishing time, beating Kipsang’s previous world leading mark.
The Kenyan duo of Kipsang and former world champion Timothy Cheruiyot stuck to the middle of the pack in the opening three laps. However at the bell, the Norwegian laid down his kick after the last pacemaker had dropped off the track.
Kipsang put up a chase, but couldn’t match the devastating final kick employed by Ingebrigtsen.
Cheruiyot, who has looked to struggle this season finished a disappointing seventh, clocking 3:32.91.
Beatrice Chebet finishes third
In the women’s 3,000m, recently crowned Commonwealth Games 5,000m champion Beatrice Chebet was third in a race won by Burundi’s Francine Niyonsaba. Chebet, who finished second at the World Championships and won the African title, said she had to battle fatigue.
“It has been a very long season with all the competitions but more so, I was happy to finish in the top three. Now I want to focus on finishing the season strongly then take a break to recover for the new season,” Chebet said.
She clocked 8:27.14 in finishing second with Burundian Niyonsaba winning the race in a photo finish after dipping just ahead of American Alicia Monson. Niyonsaba clocked a Meet Record time of 8:26.80 with Monson recording a personal best time of 8:26.81.
The American had been in the leading pack of seven for most of the race and at the bell was well within striking range. She started to open up the gap but at the home stretch, the lead reduced.
Netherlands’ Sifan Hassan who has endured a tough season attempted to make a last ditch sprint on the outside but she didn’t have enough energy. She ended up finishing fourth, just ahead of Kenya’s Margaret Chelimo.
El Bakkali continues to rule steeple
In the men’s steeplechase, Sofiane El Bakkali continued his dominance winning a solo race in a time of 8:02.45. He bolted off into the lead just behind the two Kenyan pacemakers Lawrence Kemboi and Wilberforce Chemiat.
He was chasing after a target of running under eight, but he missed out by inches. Leonard Bett finished third in a season’s best time of 8:12.08 while the two other Kenyans Amos Serem and Commonwealth champion Abraham Kibiwott finished fifth and sixth.
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