Chespol stoops to conquer, Dibaba fails in record bid

Kenya's Cellphile Chepsol goes over the water jump on course to victory in the women's 3,000m steeplechase race in the IAAF Diamond League at Eugene's Hayward Field, USA on May 26, 2017. PHOTO | IAAF |

What you need to know:

  • Chespol, still just 18, stormed to victory after a thrilling duel with Olympic champion and world record holder Ruth Jebet and fellow Kenyan Beatrice Chepkoech over the closing laps at Eugene's Hayward Field.
  • Chespol's outstanding performance was the highlight of the opening night of the two-day event, which resumes Saturday with a star-studded programme.

Teenage Kenyan star Celliphine Chespol recovered from a lost shoe to win the 3000m steeplechase with the second fastest time in history and National Record at the Prefontaine Classic Diamond League meeting on Friday.

Chespol, still just 18, stormed to victory after a thrilling duel with Olympic champion and world record holder Ruth Jebet and fellow Kenyan Beatrice Chepkoech over the closing laps at Eugene's Hayward Field.

Chespol's hopes of a win looked to have evaporated when she stumbled on the water jump on the penultimate lap, appearing to lose her shoe as Jebet and Chepkoech pulled ahead.

Despite stooping to adjust her footwear, the teenager regained her composure and clawed back the lost ground before producing a devastating burst of speed up the home straight to finish in 8min 58.78sec. Only the Kenyan-born Jebet of Bahrain, the world record holder with 8:52.78, has run faster.

Confirmation of that stunning win from Celliphine Chespol in the women's steeplechase, the second fastest of all time. PHOTO | IAAF |

Chepkoech, who finished fourth at the Rio Olympics, came in second in personal best in 9:00.70 as Jebet, who was the defending champion, finished third in 9:03.52.

"It was difficult but I try my best. I'm happy of course," Chespol said afterwards.

Chespol's outstanding performance was the highlight of the opening night of the two-day event, which resumes Saturday with a star-studded programme.

The time by the 18-year-old Chespol, who is a form four student at Riruta Central, Nairobi, also qualifies as a World Lead and Meeting record.

It also replaced the National Record time of 9:00.01 set by Kiyeng, who is also the Olympic 3,000m steeplechase silver medallist when she finished second at the same championships last year where Jebet won in a Diamond League Record time of 8:59.97.

Jebet holds the World record time of 8:52.78, a feat she accomplished at Paris Diamond League on August 27, last year.

Chespol, the World Under-18 2,000m steeplechase and World Under-20 3,000m steeplechase champion had broken the World Under-20 record in Doha on May 5 when she finished fourth in 9:05.70. World 3,000m steeplechase champion Hyvin Kiyeng won the race in 9:00.12 followed by Chepkoech 9:01.57.

She would then settle third in Shanghai on May 13 in 9:07.08 ahead of Jebet, who had a week earlier lost to Kiyeng in Doha. Jebet timed 9:04.78 while Kiyeng 9:06.72.

Another Kenyan teenager Lilian Kasait, who is also the World Cross Country senior women’s bronze medallist, ran personal best 14:36.80 to finish second in women’s 5,000m, losing the battle to Ethiopian Genzebe Dibaba.

The Ethiopian, who is the World 1,500m champion and record, failed to break the world record as expected, clocking 14:25.22, the ninth fastest time ever. It’s the second fastest time this season after Kenya’s Hellen Obiri’s 14:22.47 set with victory in Shanghai on May 13.

Dibaba, the 1,500m world champion, was racing against the clock for the final five laps after leaving the pack behind but could only finish in 14:25.22, well outside the world record, and her own personal best of 14:15.41 set in 2015.

Kenyans will also be in action on Saturday night, going into Sunday. World 1,500m champion Asbel Kiprop opens his season when he renews rivalry with World 1,500m silver medallist Elijah Manangoi, who is fresh from winning in Doha, Olympic champion Matthew Centrowitz.

World 10,000m silver medallist Geoffrey Kamworor and World 5,000m silver medallist Caleb Mwangangi from Kenya, and American Olympic 5,000m silver medallist Paul Chelimo take the battle to Olympic and World 10,000m and 5,000m champion Britain’s Mo Farah in the 5000m race.

Olympic 1,500m champion Faith Chepng’etich, who won her 1,500m race in Shanghai on May 13 in a world lead of 3:59.22, returns to the track where she broke her own national record time with new times of 3:56.41 last year.