Justin Lagat sent us this piece on his hopes for the Oslo Bislett Games, coming this Thursday, June 13, 2019. Some exciting races, plus great Scandinavian weather, and a sold out crowd could equal some exceptional races. Check out our twitter site with some of the social media fun that is coming out of Oslo.
Motion, photo by PhotoRun.net
What to look forward to at the Oslo Diamond League this Thursday
Men 3000m:
For things to get more exciting in the upcoming long distance track events, we will need another runner to beat Selemon Barega in the 3,000m race so as to complicate things further in trying to guess who the best 3000m/5000m at the moment is.
Before the emergence of Tilahun Haile at the Rome Diamond League, Barega was seen as the athlete to beat in the 5000m, but Haile has just changed that. Now, in the absence of Haile in Oslo, it remains to be seen whether anyone is going to beat Barega again and make fans curious to see a face-off between Haile and whoever wins in Oslo? Many eyes will likely be watching Uganda's Joshua Cheptegei.
Men and women 800m:
It will be another chance for another woman to taste victory in the 800m while Caster Semenya is still away. Ajee Wilson won the last 800m race at the last Diamond League race will not be in the start line. This will leave Lynsey Sharp, Halimah Nakaayi and Selina Buchel as some of the main contenders for the win here.
Fresh from winning the distance at the Hengelo world challenge meeting, Cornelius Tuwei will be seeking to make a name in a bigger league.
Women 3000m Steeplechase:
We are yet to gauge the women in the 3000m steeplechase event this year at the Diamond League meetings and Oslo will present the first opportunity. All the big stars will be there including the world record holder, Beatrice Chepkoech; Olympic silver and World gold medalist, Hyvin Kiyeng; World champion, Emma Coburn and the new talents, Celiphine Chespol and Norah Jeruto, among others.
It will be a chance to see what is likely to happen at the world championships in Doha later in the year.
Dream Mile Men:
The men's dream mile has some of the finest 1500m runners in the world and, with the absence of Elijah Manangoi and Timothy Cheruiyot, it looks like an open race for anyone.
Norwegian fans will have the two brothers to cheer in this event and Jakob and Filip Ingebrightsen will be hoping to impress their home crowds in this event.
Bethwel Birgen, Vincent Kibet, and Justus Soget will be some of the stars to watch out for. Birgen and Kibet finished 3rd and 4th behind Cheruiyot and Manangoi in Doha and apparently, are well placed to win when the Doha leaders are absent. Justus Soget is yet to show what he has got for this year.
Team Ingebrigtsen, retro style! We pay tribute to our proud history by presenting this year's Norwegian athletes as the heroes of the time! Greatness is back at Bislett! 🎉@HenrikInge @JakobIng @FilipInge @Headof7 @Diamond_League @EuroAthletics @Norsk_Friidrett pic.twitter.com/y5SgfHqjUl
-- Bislett Games (@BislettGames) April 9, 2019
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