by Justin Lagat
Timothy Cheruiyot continues to win, here’s his win at Pre Classic, photo by PhotoRun.net
Here’s Justin Lagat’s View from Kenya for this week. This week is focused on the great performances from Paris by Kenyan and African athletes! He focuses on Timothy Cheruiyot, Beatrice Chepkoech, Ferguson Rotich, and Caster Semenya!
It is definitely Timothy Cheruiyot’s year when it comes to the men’s 1500m race. From setting a world leading time of 3:31.22 in Rome, to winning the Kenyan national trials, to setting another world leading time of 3:29.71 last night in Paris; he is the clear world number one. He currently leads in the Diamond league points of the 1500m event with 24 points, which is double the number of points of his next competitor who has 12 points. He has already won four Diamond League races this year. His graph keeps rising!
After a great pace setting by France’s Mounir Akbache, Cheruiyot stepped to the front in confidence and began to stretch his lead more with about 150m to go. He crossed the finish line clear ahead of Ayanleh Souleiman who finished 2nd in 3:31.77. Charles Simotwo came third in 3:32.61.
In the men’s 800m, it would seem that Ferguson Rotich has two gears while other runners have just one gear. Even with 300m to go, he was still behind everyone before slowly moving towards the front in the back straight. He engaged the second gear in the last 100m and overtook the rest of the athletes who were already giving their all and just edged Jonathan Kitilit at the finish line. He crossed the line in 1:43.73 against Kitilit’s 1:43.83. Saul Ordonez finished strongly taking the third place in 1:44.36.
WATCH 🎥 @FergusonRotich came from the back of the pack to snatch victory in the final stride#DiamondLeague #RoadToTheFinal #ParisDL #MeetingParishttps://t.co/LBG0Nzqefn
— IAAF Diamond League (@Diamond_League) June 30, 2018
There was an epic battle in the women’s 3000m steeplechase race amongst the Kenya’s top athletes in the event. Just after the pace maker stepped out after setting a fast pace, Beatrice Chepkoech and Celliphine Chespol were some meters ahead of Hyving Kiyeng and Norah Jeruto who were already following in a single file. Chepkoech could hardly shake off Chespol who was hanging on behind her like a leech. But, Chepkoech managed to break away with about 200m to win the race in a world leading and personal best time of 8:59.36. chespol followed in 9:01.82 while Hyvin Kiyeng, who currently leads in the diamond league points, finished third in 9:03.86.
Beatrice Chepkoech jumps up the rankings in the women’s 3,000m SC #RoadToTheFinal after the #ParisDL tonight
Hyvin Kiyeng 🇰🇪 22pts
Celliphine Chepteek Chespol 🇰🇪 14pts
Beatrice Chepkoech 🇰🇪 12pts@emmajcoburn 🇺🇸 12pts#DiamondLeague pic.twitter.com/ApfK53JSnk— IAAF Diamond League (@Diamond_League) June 30, 2018
The more determined the athletes are to beat Caster Semenya in the women’s 800m race, the faster Semenya will run. This was exactly the case when ten athletes ran under two minutes in one race that will probably be one of the memorable women’s 800m races this year. Semenya paced the first lap in 56.12, but the rest of the athletes led by Francine Niyonsaba were still breathing hot air on her shoulders. This pushed Semenya to run a world leading, national record, personal best and a meeting record of 1:54.25. Niyonsaba took second in 1:55.86 while Ajee’ Wilson took third in 1:57.11.
WATCH 🎥 @caster800m with a phenomenal #DiamondLeague and @MEETINGPARIS record in Paris.#ParisDL #DiamondLeague #RoadToTheFinal https://t.co/dR1rb55xEd
— IAAF Diamond League (@Diamond_League) June 30, 2018
