Three Kenyans were among the winners of the 2018 Rome golden gala at the Olympic stadium in Rome on Friday May 31. The meet is part of the Diamond League. Two of the Kenyans recorded world leading times.
Kiyeng returns to form
2015 world champion, Hyvin Kiyeng, is on her way back to the summit of the women’s 3000m steeplechase. She proved this by winning the race in 9:04.96, a world leading time. 19 year old compatriot Cellphine Chespol was second. It was a dramatic race in which Kiyeng, Chespol and American Emma Coburn were neck and neck at the last water jump. Coburn then slipped and almost fell.In the process she lost her steam and Norah Jeruto also passed her, thus assuring a Kenya 1-2-3 finish.
Beatrice Chepkoech who won at the Pre-Fontaine classc was 5th. Surprise Commonwealth games gold medalist, Aisha Praught of Jamaica was 8th.
Race Video
Results
| POS | ATHLETE | COUNTRY | MARK | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hyvin Kiyeng | KEN | 9:04.96 | 8 |
| 2 | Celliphine Chepteek Chespol | KEN | 9:05.14 | 7 |
| 3 | Norah Jeruto | KEN | 9:07.17 | 6 |
| 4 | Emma Coburn | 9:08.13 | 5 | |
| 5 | Beatrice Chepkoech | KEN | 9:15.85 | 4 |
| 6 | Winfred Mutile Yavi | BRN | 9:16.36 | 3 |
| 7 | Daisy Jepkemei | KEN | 9:18.44 | 2 |
| 8 | Aisha Praught | JAM | 9:19.33 | 1 |
| 9 | Luiza Gega | ALB | 9:22.00 | |
| 10 | Habiba Ghribi | TUN | 9:31.36 | |
| 11 | Purity Kirui | KEN | 9:31.96 | |
| 12 | Rosie Clarke | GBR | 9:32.08 | |
| 13 | Ophélie Claude-Boxberger | FRA | 9:34.43 | |
| 14 | Gesa Felicitas Krause | GER | 9:39.52 | |
| 15 | Tugba Güvenc | TUR | 9:39.68 | |
| 16 | María José Pérez | ESP | 9:43.48 | |
| 17 | Irene Sánchez-Escribano | ESP | 9:44.48 | |
| 18 | Fadwa Sidi Madane | MAR | 9:46.10 | |
| 19 | Birtukan Adamu | ETH | 9:55.77 |
Kinyamal wins with late surge
Wycliff Kinyamal, Kenya’s new 800m sensation, won his second ever Diamond League race. It took another late surge to win with Kinyamal taking over the lead from compatriot Jonathan Kitilit with 20 metres to go. Kitilit had a significant lead with 100m to go before Kinyamal started to narrow the lead.
Ferguson Rotich, another runner known for late surges, ran down Kitilit and passed him at the finish line to finish second. Kitilit finished 3rd for a Kenya 1-2-3
Race Video
Results
| POS | ATHLETE | COUNTRY | MARK | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wyclife Kinyamal | KEN | 1:44.65 | 8 |
| 2 | Ferguson Cheruiyot Rotich | KEN | 1:44.74 | 7 |
| 3 | Jonathan Kitilit | KEN | 1:44.78 | 6 |
| 4 | Brandon McBride | CAN | 1:44.99 | 5 |
| 5 | Amel Tuka | BIH | 1:45.68 | 4 |
| 6 | Álvaro De Arriba | ESP | 1:46.16 | 3 |
| 7 | Adam Kszczot | POL | 1:46.23 | 2 |
| 8 | Kipyegon Bett | KEN | 1:46.93 | 1 |
Cheruiyot with another masterful display
In the 1500m, Timothy Cheruiyot appears invincible in 2018. It is largely due to his new tactic of attacking accelerating with 400m to go, to take advantage of his superior endurance. In the past, he tried to win the race in the last 100m, something which played into the hands of Elijah Manangoi who has a superior finishing kick.
In this race, Cheruiyot left the rest of the field for dead with 400m to go. Manangoi finished second ahead of Ethiopian Samuel Tefera who was 3rd. Ayanleh Souleiman who has been a major challenger in past years, appears far from his best this season. He finished a distant 4th.
Race Video
Results
| POS | ATHLETE | COUNTRY | MARK | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Timothy Cheruiyot | KEN | 3:31.22 | 8 |
| 2 | Elijah Motonei Manangoi | KEN | 3:33.79 | 7 |
| 3 | Samuel Tefera | ETH | 3:34.84 | 6 |
| 4 | Ayanleh Souleiman | DJI | 3:34.87 | 5 |
| 5 | Charles Cheboi Simotwo | KEN | 3:35.03 | 4 |
| 6 | Charles Da’Vall Grice | GBR | 3:35.72 | 3 |
| 7 | Taresa Tolosa | ETH | 3:36.22 | 2 |
| 8 | Aman Wote | ETH | 3:36.30 | 1 |
| 9 | Chris O’Hare | GBR | 3:36.47 | |
| 10 | Mohad Abdikadar Sheik Ali | ITA | 3:36.54 | |
| 11 | Yemaneberhan Crippa | ITA | 3:38.22 | |
| 12 | Ryan Gregson | AUS | 3:38.85 | |
| 13 | Adel Mechaal | ESP | 3:39.14 | |
| 14 | George Meitamei Manangoi | KEN | 3:41.75 | |
| 15 | Silas Kiplagat | KEN | 3:41.78 |
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