by Justin Lagat
A close 3000m, won by Beatrice Chepkoech, photo by Andreas Arndt
Bethwel Birgen takes the Men’s 3000m, in PB/WL 7:34.12, photo by Andreas Arndt
Justin Lagat sent us this piece just after the Indoor Meeting Karlsruhe!
It was an exciting evening of athletic action at the world indoor meeting in Karlsruhe. Despite the absence of spectators, it was still an amazing event to watch.
It was a great moment for Kenyan fans as Beatrice Chepkoech and Bethwell Birgen dominated the 3000m races.
As of now, it is no longer a secret that Beatrice Chepkoech is one amazing and exceptionally talented front runner. Fantu Worku must have known that as he hung patiently and dangerously behind her hoping to overtake in the last stages of the race.
Chepkoech had taken over the lead soon after the pacesetter dropped out having taken them through the first kilometer in 2:50.96. But, she was careful to reserve some energy for the final lap.
Three runners broke away from at the bell with Chepkoech maintaining her lane at the front and not allowing Melissa Courtney-Briant to overtake her as Worku still maintained her position just behind them. As Worku moved to the outside lane at the last bend to overtake Courtney-Briant, Chepkoech easily lengthened the gap a little bit to cross the finish line in 8:41.98, which was one of the world-leading times of the evening. Worku finished second ahead of Melissa in third.
Kenya’s steeplechase ace Beatrice Chepkoech also delivers on the 3000m flat.
She wins the @INDOOR_MEETING in a world-leading 8:41.98.#WorldIndoorTour pic.twitter.com/EcgFAqSOGJ
— World Athletics (@WorldAthletics) January 29, 2021
If you work hard and smart in training, then you won’t have to struggle hard in your race. That seems to have been the point that Bethwell Birgen was trying to bring out in his effortless run in the men’s 3000m race.
From the start of the race, Birgen had placed himself just behind the two pacesetters, Wammetsberger Felix who took them through the first kilometer in 2:32.44, and Tobin Sean who crossed the 2000m point in 5:06.44. With the pacesetters, the 200m splits kept fluctuating from 29.27 to 31.66 seconds.
As soon as the pacers stepped out and Birgen was alone at the front, the pace became a bit more stable and faster with the fastest split being 29.14 and the slowest being 29.91. He slowly began to ease away from his chasers keeping an even pace, even after the bell. This resulted in a world-leading and a personal best time for Birgen as he crossed the finish line in 7:34.12.
Double delight for Kenya! 🇰🇪
Bethwell Birgen and Beatrice Chepkoech deliver world-leading performances over 3000m at @INDOOR_MEETING #WorldIndoorTour pic.twitter.com/ALvNUerCO3
— World Athletics (@WorldAthletics) January 30, 2021
Mohamed Katir began to close some gap as he came to finish strongly in second place with a new personal best time of 7:35.29 leading two other runners behind him in registering their personal best times as well. Out of the nine who finished the race, five of them ran new personal best times.
Katharina Trost takes an exciting 1,500m, photo by Andres Arndt
As Uganda’s Winnie Nanyondo focused on overtaking Caterina Granz at the home straight in the women’s 1500m race, Katharina Trost quickly came from behind to overtake both of them and to take the win in a world-leading time of 4:12.02. Nanyonda was second and Granz third.
