Olympic 1,500m champion Faith Chepng’etich shattered her Kenyan 1,500m record in Monaco's Diamond League on Friday.
Chepng’etich, who is also the 2017 World Champion, trailed the reigning World 1,500m champion Sifan Hassan for the Netherlands for the better part of the race.
Netherland's Sifan Hassan (right), Kenya's Faith Kipyegon (centre) and Ethiopia's Freweyni Hailu compete in the women's 1500m during the Diamond League on July 9, 2021 in Monaco.
Photo credit: Clement Mahoudeau | AFP
Then Chepng’etich would turn on the screws on Hassan, overtaking her with 200m to go to triumph in three minutes and 51.07 seconds.
The feat saw Chepng'etich, the winner of the Kenyan trials for the Tokyo Olympics, beat her previous time of 3:53.91 set at Florence Golden Gala in Italy on June 10.
It was also a swift revenge against Hassan, who beat her to second place at Florence.
Kenya's Faith Kipyegon celebrates after wining in the Women's 1500m during the IAAF Diamond League competition on July 9, 2021 in Monaco.
Photo credit: Clement Mahoudeau | AFP
That happened just moments after World 1,500m champion Timothy Cheruiyot cracked a personal best of 3:28.28, beating his previous personal best of 3:28.41 set at the same course in 2018.
“The race is now becoming competitive but I’m happy to have won as this was part of my preparations ahead of the Olympic Games where I want to defend my title,” said Chepng'etich, who will be teaming up with Winny Jebet and Edinah Jebitok in the 1,500m in Tokyo.
In the women’s 3,000m steeplechase race, Hyvin Kiyeng continued her fine form, winning in 9:03.82 ahead of the world record holder Beatrice Chepkoech who timed 9:04.94 while Bahrain’s Winfred Yavi was third in 9:05.45.
Cheruiyot proved that he is still the man to beat over the distance after winning the race in a world lead time.
First-placed Kenya's Timothy Cheruiyot celebrates as he crosses the finish line in the Men's 1500m during the Diamond League on July 9, 2021 in Monaco.
Photo credit: Clement Mahoudeau | AFP
Mohamed Katir from Spain came in second after clocking a national record of 3:28.76 while Norway’s Jakob Ingebrigtsen was third in 3:29.25. Charles Simotwo, who is heading to Tokyo for the Olympic Games, was fifth in 3:30.30.
“Today's race was good and I won it for the third time after missing competing a lot after spending a lot of time in Kenya where I had a few issues like my hamstring injury and after also losing a relative,” said Cheruiyot, who hopes the performance will help make the team for Tokyo.
Kenya has written to World Athletics to see if they can exempt Kamar Etyang, who finished second at the Kenya trials but had not fulfilled all the anti-doping rules.
There was confusion in the 3,000m steeplechase when the bell rang after six laps forcing the Benjamin Kigen to slow down thinking that he had finished the race.
The athletes were forced to continue running in the final lap with Kenya’s Abraham Kibiwott finishing second after clocking season's best of 8:07.81 behind Lamecha Girma from Ethiopia who clocked 8:07.75 while Djilali Bedrani from France was third in 8:11.17.
In the men’s 800m race, Emmanuel Korir emerged second after clocking his season's best of 1:43.04 behind Botswana’s Amos Nijel who timed 1:42.91 while Canada’s Marco Arop settled third in 1:43.26.
