Hellen Obiri, Asbel Kiprop ready to rumble in London

Olympic 5,000m silver medallist Hellen Obiri and World 1,500m champion Asbel Kiprop are among the few Kenyans who will field at the London leg of the Diamond League on Sunday.

It will be Obiri’s first race since winning her 5,000m race at the World Championships trials in Nairobi two week ago.

Obiri went into the trials fresh from breaking the 5,000m National Record with the fifth fastest time ever over the distance at Rome Golden Gala on June 8.

The Kenya Defence Forces Corporal shattered the six-year 5,000m National Record by over two seconds with her thrilling solo effort of personal best and World lead time of 14 minutes and 18.37 seconds.

The victory by Obiri, who had won in Shanghai in a personal best 14:22.47 on May 13, was enough to erase Olympic 5,000m champion Vivian Cheruiyot's National Record of 14:20.87 set in Stockholm on July 29, 2011.

Obiri had also competed in 1,500m race at the Prefontaine Classic where she finished second behind Olympic 1,500m champion Faith Chepng’etich. Obiri will take on former World 1,500m champion Jenny Simpson from Britain among others in the mile race in London.

“I am ready for my first mile race. I'm not under any pressure to perform,” said Obiri, the 2013 World 1,500m bronze medallist, who is returning to London for the first time since the 2012 Olympics.

Kiprop, the 2008 Olympic champion will take on Commonwealth Games 800m champion Amos Nijel, who is also the 2012 London Olympics 800m silver medallist in men’s 800m race.

Amos is fresh from winning his 800m race in Paris on July 1, having recovered from niggling injuries.

Kiprop has not had a good season, having performed dismally in Doha and Prefontaine Classic.