Meet Records tumble as Kenyans shine in Shanghai
What you need to know:
- It’s a day that saw Kenya’s Fergusson Rotich stun Olympic and World 800m champion David Rudisha in a world lead time of 1:45.68 in the men’s 800m race
- World 3,000m steeplechase champion Hyvin Kiyeng showed her mettle to win her specialty in a meet record of 9:07.42.
World 1,500m silver medallist Faith Chepng’etich broke her own national record when she glided to victory in a meet record of 3 minutes and 56.82 seconds at the Shanghai leg of the Diamond League on Saturday.
It’s a day that saw Kenya’s Fergusson Rotich stun Olympic and World 800m champion David Rudisha in a world lead time of 1:45.68 in the men’s 800m race as World 3,000m steeplechase champion Hyvin Kiyeng showed her mettle to win her specialty in a meet record of 9:07.42.
World 400m hurdles champion Nicholas Bett of Kenya finished a distant sixth in 49.31, losing the 400m hurdles battle to Michael Tinsley from USA in 48.90.
Chepng’etich, who has recovered from a leg injury, led through the last two laps to break her own national record of 3:56.98 set during the 2013 Doha Diamond League.
Chepng’etich’s feat was enough to not only shatter the meet record time of 3:57.77 set by Ethiopian Genzebe Dibaba in 2012 but also move to the top of the world list.
The 22-year-old, who is the 2011 World Youth and 2012 World junior 1,500m champion, left the 2013 World 1,500m bronze medallist Hellen Obiri pacing to second in 3:59.34 as World Indoor 1,500m silver medallist Dawit Seyaum from Ethiopia finished third in 3:59.87.
“I did not have a time in my mind. I just wanted a good time in the race and to win. God knows who wins,” said Chepng’etich.
Rotich slipped past the field on the inside lane to snatch a shock victory in 1:45.68. It’s Rudisha, who had targeted 1:43.50, who led the field with 200m to go. However, Rudisha’s kick failed as he faded to fifth in 1:46.24, his slowest time for five years.
Kenyans Robert Biwott and Alfred Kipketer took second and third in 1:45.84 and 1:45.93 respectively.
“I’m so upset! I lost 2 seconds because of the start. There were high jumpers in the lane,” said Rudisha.
KIYENG STARS
Kiyeng overhauled Kenyan-born Bahraini World junior 3,000m steeplechase champion Ruth Jebet in the last 20m to win women’s race not only in meet record but personal best 9:07.42.
Kiyeng’s time is the sixth fastest time in history as Jebet, who went down in the home straight, managed to pick herself up to claim second place in an Asian record of 9:15.98. Ethiopia’s Olympic silver medallist Sofia Assefa was third in 9:21.07 ahead of last year’s Diamond Race winner, Virginia Nyambura 9:21.15.
