by Justin Lagat
Hailu Lemlem leads the quick 3000m! photo by Copernicus Cup LOC
An amazing meet in athletics crazy Poland, the Copernicus is always a huge event. The Torun city management bought the Sopot WIC 2014 Mondo track and put it into the municipal arena. When I visited in 2019, the event was a sell out and the Polish stars kept the audience excited.
Well, thanks to Justin Lagat, we see this view via Kenya on the distance events! Thanks, Justin!
One of the reasons why the world athletics indoor tour has been this exciting could be because of the multiple options now available for fans to watch it across the world. Besides the TV channels, there is the option of watching it online on Facebook and YouTube platforms.
Another reason for the excitement could be that we saw little of track and field events last year and perhaps the break served to fulfill the saying that, “we never miss the water until the well runs dry.” Fans had missed the action on track and field, and the athletes too had missed competing.
The women’s 3000m, @copernicuscup, 17 Feb 2021, photo by @stuartweir, @britathletics, #europeanathletics, #theshoeaddicts, #worldindoortour, #worldathletics, #runblogrun, #runningnetwork, @larryeder, pic.twitter.com/VZ2cLTrSpg
— RunBlogRun (@RunBlogRun) February 18, 2021
One of the highly anticipated races of the evening at the Copernicus Cup was the women’s 3000m. Genzebe Dibaba who currently holds the world indoor record at 8:16.60 was expected to provide a tough competition to the world record holder of the 3000m steeplechase, Beatrice Chepkoech, and the relatively new and strong Ethiopian star, Hailu Lemlem.
Womens’ 3000m start, @copernicuscup, 17 Feb 2021, photo by @stuartweir, @britathletics, #europeanathletics, #theshoeaddicts, #worldindoortour, #worldathletics, #runblogrun, #runningnetwork, @larryeder, pic.twitter.com/4ZT0uLdrc8
— RunBlogRun (@RunBlogRun) February 18, 2021
However, Genzebe who had earlier requested for a world record pace suddenly suffered an injury in the early stages of the race and had to limp out of the track. But still, the battle for the win amongst Fantu Worku, Chepkoech and Lemlem was thrilling to watch. It was as though some mind games were being played by Lemlem and Chepkoech as the two controlled and exchanged the lead while Worku stuck behind them. Lemlem seemed to count on her strong finishing kick and she would slow the pace a bit when she moved to the front, but Chepkoech seemed to think that her chances lied on a constantly faster pace and she would increase the tempo whenever she moved to the front. With about two laps to go, Chepkoech had managed to shake off Worku, but Lemlem was still stuck at her back.
Lemlem Hailu (Ethiopia) 8:31.34 PR WL, @copernicuscup, 17 Feb 2021, photo by Copernicus
@stuartweir, @britathletics, #europeanathletics, #theshoeaddicts, #worldindoortour, #worldathletics, #runblogrun, #runningnetwork, @larryeder, pic.twitter.com/AHmYAVmsBd— RunBlogRun (@RunBlogRun) February 18, 2021
At the bell, Lemlem knew that her time had come to use her strength and produced a strong kick that left Chepkoech trailing her. Chepkoech had to glance back with about 20m to go as though she already knew she could not match Lemlem’s kick and what remained for her was just but to secure the second position. Lemlem’s effort resulted in a meeting record, world-leading time and a personal best of 8:31.24 as Chepkoech followed also with a new personal best of 8:31.72.
Salemon Barega (Ethiopia) wins the 1,500m in 3:32.97, PB. @copernicuscup, 17 Feb 2021, photo by @stuartweir, @britathletics, #europeanathletics, #theshoeaddicts, #worldindoortour, #worldathletics, #runblogrun, #runningnetwork, @larryeder, pic.twitter.com/Z9gOZU0PKJ
— RunBlogRun (@RunBlogRun) February 18, 2021
Selemon Barega seemed to have been in a class of his own in the men’s 1500m race. He flew alone in the last lap rapidly creating a gap of about 3 seconds from the second finisher; and less than 2 seconds behind the world record. He finished in a new meeting record and a personal best time of 3:32.97. Marcin Lewandowski followed with a national record of 3:35.71.
Marcin Lewandowski (Polska) 3.35,71 second in 1500 in national record, @copernicuscup, 17 Feb 2021, photo by Copernicus, @stuartweir, @britathletics, #europeanathletics, #theshoeaddicts, #worldindoortour, #worldathletics, #runblogrun, #runningnetwork, @larryeder pic.twitter.com/Tdth3kUq1i
— RunBlogRun (@RunBlogRun) February 18, 2021
