Virginia Nyambura stuns stars as she triumphs in Doha race
Virginia Nyambura of Kenya (L) reacts after winning the 3000m women's steeplechase race at the Diamond League athletics meeting at the Suhaim bin Hamad Stadium in Doha on May 15, 2015. AFP PHOTO | KARIM JAAFAR |
What you need to know:
- In what was perhaps be the biggest upset of the night, Nyambura would stun a rich field that had DL Series defending champion Ethiopia’s Hiwot Ayalew, World silver medallist Lydia Chepkurui and Commonwealth Games champion Purity Kirui to triumph.
- After hitting the front for better part of the race to an agreed 2000m point, a strong Nyambura stepped further on her pistons to win the race in a World Lead time of 9:21.51.
- Nyambura, mentored by the reigning World champion Milcah Chemos, is the only Kenya to have won during the night where Olympic and World 10,000m and 5,000m champion Mo Farah was beaten in 3,000m.
She had been used as a rabbit in many races but during the World Relays trials series in Nairobi, Virginia Nyambura vowed to end that role.
Nyambura, the 2010 inaugural Youth Olympics 2,000m steeplechase gold medallist, still chose the pacesetting role but with an option of finishing the 3,000m steeplechase race at Doha Diamond League on Friday night.
In what was perhaps be the biggest upset of the night, Nyambura would stun a rich field that had DL Series defending champion Ethiopia’s Hiwot Ayalew, World silver medallist Lydia Chepkurui and Commonwealth Games champion Purity Kirui to triumph.
After hitting the front for better part of the race to an agreed 2000m point, a strong Nyambura stepped further on her pistons to win the race in a World Lead time of 9:21.51.
Nyambura, mentored by the reigning World champion Milcah Chemos, is the only Kenya to have won during the night where Olympic and World 10,000m and 5,000m champion Mo Farah was beaten in 3,000m.
Nyambura’s victory comes in the wake of her splendid run over 1,600m where she anchored Kenya to silver medal in medley race at the World Relay Championships in the Bahamas a fortnight ago behind US.
The 21 year-old who launched her season with successive victories over 1,500m at the third Safaricom Relay Series meeting on March 14 (4:11.8) and during the Trials for Bahamas (4:10.0) in Nairobi led the field through 1000m in 3:05.35 before crossing 2000m in 6:19.59.
Nyambura edged out Ayelew, who has silver medals from the 2011 Al Africa Games and the 2014 Continental Cup, to second place in 9:21.54 as Kenya’s, the 2011 All Africa Games champion, Hyvin Kiyeng took third place in 9:22.11. Chepkururi was fifth in 9:27.62.
Ethiopian Gebrhiwet beat Farah to his own game in the last lap of the 3000m to win in 7:38.08. The Ethiopian held off a late surge from Farah, who failed to cover his rival’s move just before the bell and he had to come from a long way back to finish second in 7:38.22.
The London Olympics 5,000m bronze medallist Kenya’s Thomas Longosiwa settled third in 7:39.22. Other Kenyans Isaiah Kiplangat, the World 5,000m bronze medallist and the 20089 Beijing Olympics 5,000m bronze medallist Edwin Soi finished sixth and seventh in 7:40.39 and 7:41.69 respectively.
Kenya’s Fergusson Rotich and World Junior and World Youth 800m champion Alfred Kipketer lost the 800m battle to World 800m bronze medallist, Djibouti’s Ayanleh Souleiman.
Souleiman won in 1:43.78, as Rotich and Kipketer settled second and third in 1:44.53 and 1:44.59 respectively. Pre-race favourites Ethiopia’s world indoor and outdoor champion Mohammed Aman and Kenya’s world 1500m champion Asbel Kiprop fared badly. Kiprop (1:45.11) and Aman (1:47.38) finished fifth and 10th respectively.
Commonwealth Games and Africa champions Julius Yego posted 81.98 to settle sixth in Javelin won by 2007 World champion Tero Pitkamaki from Finland in 88.62.
