Diamond League: Kenyan runs year’s fastest time

Shanghai

Nixon Kiplimo Chepseba ran the year’s fastest 1,500 metres in 3 minutes 21.42 seconds at the Diamond League on Sunday, beating fellow Kenyan and Olympic champion Asbel Kiprop, who came second despite running a season’s best of 3:31.76.

Brimin Kiprop Kipruto (8:02.28) led Paul Kipsiele Koech (8:02.42), Hillary Kipsang Yego (8:07.71), Patrick Kipkirui Langat, Richard Matelong in a Kenyan top five in the 3,000m steeplechase.

In the 5,000m, Vivian Cheruiyot (14:31.92) led Sentayehu Ejigu of Ethiopia (14:32.87) and compatriot Linet Chepkwemoi Masai (14:32.95).

Chinese star hurdler Liu Xiang thrilled a hometown crowd in Shanghai, starting his outdoor season with the fastest 110m of the year as he seeks to recapture Olympic glory at London 2012.

Jamaican sprint star Asafa Powell banished recent injury woes with a 9.95 seconds win in the men’s 100m, after a pulled hamstring led to a last-place 200m finish a week earlier.

In front of a rapturous crowd Liu, who in 2004 became China’s first athlete to win an Olympic track gold medal, ended world number one David Oliver’s 20-race winning streak with a time of 13.09.

The 27-year-old former world champion came in seventh at last year’s indoor championships in Doha.

Dubbed the “flying man” in China, Liu said he has cut the number of steps before launching into the first hurdle from eight to seven as part of his efforts to make the podium in London.

Square off with both his main rivals

“I reacted the fastest from the block. I am very satisfied with the time,” Liu said.

Jamaica’s Powell, formerly the world’s fastest man, will now square off with both his main rivals – the world’s fastest man and fellow Jamaican Usain Bolt and American Tyson Gay – before the World Championships in South Korea in August.

Jamaican Veronica Campbell-Brown, the fastest woman in the world last year, won the women’s 100m (10.92), beating Carmelita Jeter, who clocked the year’s fastest time – 10.86 – in Kingston.

Jamaica’s Kaliese Spencer, the world number one, won the women’s 400m hurdles in 52.20 while Croatian high jump star Blanka Vlasic, the 2010 IAAF female athlete of year, won with the best jump of the season at 1.94m.

(AFP)