World champions Hellen Obiri, Timothy Cheruiyot, Beatrice Chepkoech and Conseslus Kipruto will line up this evening in Doha, the last event of the 2020 Diamond League.
Obiri, the 5,000m world champion will take on 3,000m steeplechase world champion Chepkoech and world cross country under-20 champion Beatrice Chebet in the women’s 3,000m race.
The 5,000m world silver medallist Margaret Chelimo, world bronze medalist over 10,000m Agnes Jebet and Continental Cup 1,500m title holder Winny Chebet also dot the star-studded 3,000m field.
Olympic 3,000m steeplechase silver medallist Hyvin Kiyeng and Ethiopian trio of 1,500m world bronze medallist Tsegay Gudaf, Lemlem Hailu and African Games 10,000m champion Tsehay Gemechu are also in the field.
Kenya's Hellen Obiri celebrates after winning the women's 5,000 metres event during the Diamond League Athletics Meeting at The Louis II Stadium in Monaco on August 14, 2020.
Photo credit: Guillaume Horcajuelo | AFP
Obiri, who won the 3,000m race last year, will be seeking her third win in Doha, having claimed her maiden victory in 2014 to finish 14th in 2018.
The 2016 Rio Olympics 5,000m silver medallist proved her recent form to seal her third 3,000m victory in Monaco on August 14 with a world lead and meet record time of 14:22.12. Obiri, the 2013 World 1,500m bronze medallist, then settled 11th in 1,500m in Stockholm on August 23.
“It’s really a good field and it’s going to be like a championship race. But I have trained well and when I train well, I have no doubts,” said Obiri, adding that it’s from such a strong field and competition that one is able to perform well and set good times. "When I enter a race, I focus on doing my best.
Chepkoech finished behind winner Kiyeng in women’s 3,000m steeplechase at ISTAF Berlin Meet, the silver category of the World Continental Tour in Germany on September 13.
Chelimo, Beatrice Chebet and Jebet will be competing for the first time this season while Winny Chebet paced in the 3,000m race in Monaco and finished fourth in 1,500m race in Stockholm.
Kenya's Timothy Cheruiyot reacts after winning the men 1500m event during the Diamond League Athletics Meeting at Stockholm stadium on August 23, 2020.
Photo credit: Jonathan Nackstand | AFP
Cheruiyot, the 1,500m world champion takes the battle to 800m world bronze medallist Ferguson Rotich and Commonwealth games 800m champion Wycliffe Kinyamal in men’s 800m.
Rotich finished fourth in Stockholm and Monaco in his 800m specialty but won four races, two in Poland and one in Italy and France respectively, posting a season best of 1:44.34 at the latter. World champion Donavan Brazier from USA, who reigned in Monaco and Stockholm will be missing in action.
Cheruiyot cracked an impressive world lead in the metric mile race of 3.28.45 to win in Monaco, missing his personal best by just four one-hundredth of a second. The 24-year-old, who went on to win in Stockholm in 3.30.25, has a best of 1:43.11 in 800m from August 2019.
Cheruiyot, who has skipped men’s 1,500m, said he is in Doha to polish on his finishing speed.
“I have the endurance in 1,500m but lack the speed and that is why I want to try it out in the 800m,” said Cheruiyot.
That leaves Kipruto, who is also the Olympic 3,000m steeplechase champion to battle fellow steeplechaser Brimin Kipruto, Vincent Kibet and the 2017 World Indoor Tour 1,500m winner Bethwell Birgen.
World silver medallists over 5000m Selemon Barega and steeplechaser Lamecha Girma, both Ethiopia, and world 3,000m steeplechase C bronze medallist Soufiane El Bakkali (Morocco) will also compete in the metric mile race.
Morocco's Soufiane El Bakkali celebrates after winning the men's 3,000 metres steeplechase event during the Diamond League Athletics Meeting at The Louis II Stadium in Monaco on August 14, 2020.
Photo credit: Valery Hache | AFP
In women’s 800m, 1,500m, world silver medallist Faith Chepng'etich takes on 2013 World champion Eunice Sum and Emily Cherotich.
Chepng’etich, the 2017 world 1,500m champion and runner-up in Doha 2019, set a national record of 2:29.15 for 1,000m in Monaco, narrowly missing the world record for the rarely-run distance.
In the men’s pole vault, world record holder Mondo Duplantis (Sweden), World Championships silver medallist in Doha 2019, will again be the one to watch.
Duplantis is joined in Doha by reigning world champion Sam Kendricks (USA), in addition to London 2012 Olympic gold medallist Renaud Lavillenie (France).
Double Olympic sprint champion Elaine Thompson-Herah (Jamaica) and multiple World Championships medallist Marie-Josée Ta Lou (Ivory Coast) will go head-to-head in the women’s 100m.
