Fresh off their superlative performance at the 2015 World Athletics championships where they topped the medal table, Kenyan athletes were in sensational form yet again at the Weltklasse Zurich Diamond League meet.
Eunice Sum, Jairus Birech and Asbel Kiprop all won their races in convincing fashion.
Sum resumes Diamond League supremacy
Going into the 2015 world championships, Eunice Sum was one of the strongest favourites. She had not lost a single diamond league race in 2015.. She surprisingly ended up being beaten into 3rd place. However on Friday in Zurich, she put aside her disappointment to win and thus continue her thorough dominance of the Diamond League circuit where she still has not lost in 2015.
Unlike in past races where Sum typically leads and controls the pace, she sat back. In the first lap, she was in 3rd place behind the pace setter and the American Channelle Price. With 300m to go, Sum had dropped back to 5th place and looked like she had no chance at winning. Fabienne Kohlmann had built a large lead. But Sum made her move with 150m to go and easily passed Kohlmann in the final straight.
Race Video
| POS | ATHLETE | COUNTRY | MARK | Points | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eunice Jepkoech Sum | 1:59.14 | 8 | |||
| 2 | Lynsey Sharp | 1:59.37 | 4 | |||
| 3 | Fabienne Kohlmann | 1:59.68 | 2 | |||
| 4 | Sifan Hassan | 1:59.95 | ||||
| 5 | Marina Arzamasova | 2:00.69 | ||||
| 6 | Renelle Lamote | 2:00.75 | ||||
| 7 | Joanna Józwik | 2:01.36 | ||||
| 8 | Brenda Martinez | 2:02.00 | ||||
| 9 | Chanelle Price | 2:02.14 | ||||
| 10 | Selina Büchel | 2:02.43 | ||||
| 11 | Shelayna Oskan-Clarke | 2:05.91 |
Evergreen Paul Kipsiele Koech still going strong after a decade
Steeplechaser Paul Kipsiele Koech has been at it for more than a decade. On Friday he beat a strong field including all the medalists at the 2015 world championships to win the 3000m steeplechase. His time of 8:10.24 is a season’s best. Since he made his debut in 2002, Kipsiele has run under 8:10 at least once every season. He holds the 3rd fastest time in the history of the event at 7:54.31. Though he does really well in rabbitted races, he has had no success in championship races which are mostly tactical.
Race Video
| POS | ATHLETE | COUNTRY | MARK | Points | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Paul Kipsiele Koech | 8:10.24 | 8 | |||
| 2 | Jairus Kipchoge Birech | 8:15.64 | 4 | |||
| 3 | Evan Jager | 8:18.39 | 2 | |||
| 4 | Ezekiel Kemboi | 8:21.16 | ||||
| 5 | Brahim Taleb | 8:23.00 | ||||
| 6 | Conseslus Kipruto | 8:24.35 | ||||
| 7 | Brimin Kiprop Kipruto | 8:24.66 | ||||
| 8 | Matthew Hughes | 8:25.45 | ||||
| 9 | Jonathan Muia Ndiku | 8:26.84 | ||||
| 10 | Lawrence Kemboi Kipsang | 8:30.96 | ||||
| 11 | Abel Kiprop Mutai | 8:31.88 | ||||
| 12 | Krystian Zalewski | 8:32.55 | ||||
| 13 | Clement Kemboi Kimutai | 8:33.16 | ||||
| 14 | Daniel Huling | 8:33.44 | ||||
| 15 | Yoann Kowal | 8:45.96 |
Asbel Kiprop makes it look easy again
Miler Asbel Kiprop has been in imperious form this season, winning races with incredible ease. In some cases he has set a searing pace and finished 10m ahead of the rest of the field. In other cases he has lagged behind only to pass the entire field world class field.. Such was the case in Zurich on Friday. With 300m to go, Kiprop was in 10th position. Henrik Ingebrigtsen of Norway had taken off like a rocket with one lap to go and set up a 20m lead. Kiprop started to make his move with 250m to go, using his long legs to eat up the track. With 70m to go it looked inevitable that Kiprop would pass Henrik Ingebrigtsen of Norway who had set up a 20m lead.
Elijah Manangoi was impressive once again with a searing final 100m that saw go from 5th place to 2nd place. Nineteen year Robert Biwott was 3rd and looks like he has a bright future
Race Video
| POS | ATHLETE | COUNTRY | MARK | Points | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Asbel Kiprop | 3:35.79 | 8 | |||
| 2 | Elijah Motonei Manangoi | 3:36.01 | 4 | |||
| 3 | Robert Kiptoo Biwott | 3:36.04 | 2 | |||
| 4 | Abdalaati Iguider | 3:36.11 | ||||
| 5 | Ronald Kwemoi | 3:36.60 | ||||
| 6 | Henrik Ingebrigtsen | 3:37.37 | ||||
| 7 | Caleb Mwangangi Ndiku | 3:38.13 | ||||
| 8 | Robby Andrews | 3:38.78 | ||||
| 9 | Silas Kiplagat | 3:39.69 | ||||
| 10 | Charlie Grice | 3:39.79 | ||||
| 11 | Leonel Manzano | 3:41.27 | ||||
| 12 | Jakub Holuša | 3:41.90 |
In other races, David Rudisha could not replicate his world championship victory. He ended up 4th in the 800m. He has done well this year to come back from injury and win the most important race of the season. He should probably call it a season, and get enough rest for next season which is an Olympic season.
Mercy Cherono was well beaten by the Ethiopian women in the 3000m. She finished 5th Also in the race was Vivian Cheruiyot who admitted before the race that the distance was too short for her. She was 6th.
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