Hyvin Kiyeng upsets formbook to win in epic finish

Coming into the 2015 world championships, Tunisian Habiba Ghribi was the favourite. She had the world best time and had won the silver medal at the 2011 world championships and the 2012 Olympics. Hyvin Kiyeng on the other hand did not have a major championship medal to her name. Her only honours so far had come at the All Africa games and the African championships. Still Kiyeng had one Diamond league win to her name in 2015 and had the second best time of the season.

It was an epic race in the final lap with numerous runners exchanging the lead. Virginia Nyambura stayed with the leading pack until 250 metres to go when she started to fade. In the final straight, three runners, Kiyeng, Ghribi and Gesa Krause of Germany were all literally neck and neck in a straight line. But Kiyeng had an extra gear which she utilized after the final hurdle to pass Ghribi and win by a hair.

Kiyeng had dinished 6th in the 2013 world championships in Moscow. Coming into the 2015 season, no one expected much from Kenyans in this event. Milcah Chemos who had been Kenya’s stalwart at this event was fading due to injuries. In 2014, no Kenyans were among the top runners. The 2014 season had been dominated by the Ethiopian duo of Sofia Assefa and Hiwot Ayalew as well as the American Emma Coburn. However in 2015, Virginia Nyambura and Hyvib Kiyeng emerged as true contenders.

Race Video

Race Results

POS	BIB	ATHLETE	COUNTRY	MARK
1	561	Hyvin Kiyeng Jepkemoi	KEN	9:19.11
2	815	Habiba Ghribi	TUN	9:19.24
3	434	Gesa Felicitas Krause	GER	9:19.25	PB
4	335	Sofia Assefa	ETH	9:20.01	SB
5	872	Emma Coburn	USA	9:21.78
6	336	Hiwot Ayalew	ETH	9:24.27
7	572	Virginia Nyambura Nganga	KEN	9:26.21
8	466	Lalita Shivaji Babar	IND	9:29.64
9	883	Stephanie Garcia	USA	9:31.06
10	601	Salima Elouali Alami	MAR	9:32.15
11	191	Ruth Jebet	BRN	9:33.41
12	912	Colleen Quigley	USA	9:34.29
13	819	Özlem Kaya	TUR	9:34.66
14	606	Fadwa Sidi Madane	MAR	9:41.45
15	557	Rosefline Chepngetich	KEN	9:46.08