Kibiwott wins Lausanne 3,000m steeplechase battle

Abraham Kibiwott saved some pride for Kenya when he won men’s 3,000m steeplechase race, leading a Kenyan sweep of the five top places during the Lausanne leg of the Diamond League on Thursday night.

It was anight to forget for other Kenyans as Rio Olympic Games 5,000m silver medallist Hellen Obiri lost the battle to Rio Olympics 1,500m silver medallist Genzebe Dibaba in the women’s 3,000m.

Favourites three-time World 1,500m champion Asbel Kiprop from Kenya and Rio Olympic Games 1,500m champion Matt Centrowitz of USA lost the 1,000m battle to Djibouti’s Souleiman Ayanleh, who became the fifth fastest man of all-time over the distance.

The 2013 World champion Eunice Sum finished second behind Rio Olympic Games 800m silver medallist Francine Niyonsaba of Burundi in the women’s 800m race of the 11th leg of the Diamond League series.

Rio Olympic Games 400m hurdles silver medallist Boniface Mucheru tumbled on a hurdle to finish seventh and last in his 400m hurdles race where the 2015 World 400m hurdles champion Nicholas Bett finished second as Estonia’s Rasmus Magi reigned supreme.

Kibiwott chalked his maiden Diamond League victory when he charged past a battling Nicholas Kiptanui Bett on the homestretch to triumph in 8:09.58.

Kiptanui Bett took the lead over the final barrier only for Kibiwott to win with a strong finish. Bett settled second in 8:10.07.

The 1,000m race was billed as a duel between Centrowitz and Kiprop, who finished sixth in Rio, but Ayanleh - former World Indoor 1500m champion - had his own plans.

With Centrowitz lingering in the middle of the leading pack and Kiprop running third last at the halfway point of the race, Suleiman mad his move for the front, trailing the second pacemaker through the bell.

He powered down the back straight and off the final turn, easily fending off the late challenge by quick-closing Kenyans Robert Biwott and Jonathan Kitilit.

Souleiman clocked an IAAF Diamond League record of 2:13.49, trailing just Noah Ngeny, Sebastian Coe, Steve Cram and Taoufik Makhloufi on the all-time list.

"I had a really bad Olympics and today I was strong, ready and had a great mindset," said Suleiman, who was fourth in the Rio over 1,500m.

Biwott was next in 2:13.89, just ahead of Kitilit who clocked 2:13.95. Kiprop made up ground over the final 300 metres and finished fourth in 2:14.23 but Centrowitz was never really in the hunt and finished well back in sixth place, another two seconds behind.

Dibaba unleashed her superior closing sprint to win unchallenged in 8:31.84, nearly three seconds off Vivian Cheruiyot’s meeting record set in 2010.

SUM SECOND

Obiri held on for second in 8:33.96 with compatriot Mercy Cherono coming in third in 8:34.49.

“This race and my my kick over the last 400 metres gives me confidence for the rest of the season," said Dibaba, who'll end her 2016 campaign in Brussels.

Niyonsaba was the emphatic winner in the 800m, clocking 1:57.71 to solidify her number two spot in the Diamond Race. Sum held off the fast-closing Lynsey Sharp to take second place in 1:58.41.