Sum proves critics wrong
Kenya’s Eunice Sum celebrates after winning the women’s 800m title during the Rome IAAF Diamond League meeting on Thursday night. AFP PHOTO
What you need to know:
- Sum is among athletes Athletics Kenya had banned from Diamond League meetings over alleged poor form.
- Kiplagat won the race in 3:30.44 after holding off Eugene Bowerman Souleiman (3:31.19) and double world champion Kiprop (3:31.89) in the final sprint.
- Kenya’s Jairus Birech produced one of the greatest upsets winning the men’s 3,000m steeplechase race in a seasonal best of 8:06.20 to beat the 2004 Olympic bronze medallist Paul Kipsiele Koech by a massive 4:33 seconds.
Reigning World champion Eunice Sum silenced critics Thursday night when she won the women’s 800m title at the Rome Diamond League meeting.
Sum pulled away in the final straight, holding off 18-year-old Cuban Sahily Diago to romp to victory in 1min,59.49sec.
Diago, who ran a lifetime best of 1:57.74 this year, finished second in 2:00.01. Sum is among athletes Athletics Kenya had banned from Diamond League meetings over alleged poor form.
The 2007 World champion Janeth Jepkosgei finished ninth in 2:01.70 ahead of the 2009 World champion, South African, Caster Semenya who had a season’s best time of 2:02.66.
World champion Asbel Kiprop, who AK had also banned and World Indoor champion, Djibouti’s Ayanleh Souleiman, fell to the 2009 World silver medallist Silas Kiplagat in men’s 1,500m race.
Kiplagat won the race in 3:30.44 after holding off Eugene Bowerman Souleiman (3:31.19) and double world champion Kiprop (3:31.89) in the final sprint.
Young German Homiyu Tesfaye, fifth at the World Championships in Moscow, dipped under 3:32 for the first time in his career setting a personal best of 3:31.98. Two more runners ran under 3:33: Moroccan Abdelati Iguider (3:32.09) and Collins Cheboi (3:32.36).
Kenya’s Jairus Birech produced one of the greatest upsets winning the men’s 3,000m steeplechase race in a seasonal best of 8:06.20 to beat the 2004 Olympic bronze medallist Paul Kipsiele Koech by a massive 4:33 seconds.
Brimin Kipruto, Olympic champion in Bejing 2008, completed the Kenyan sweep in third place in 8:11.39. Olympic and World champion Ezekiel Kemboi did not finish. The 2012 Olympics bronze winner and Africa champion Abel Mutai was fourth in seasons best time of 8:16.20.
Kenya’s World 5,000m silver winner Mercy Cherono lost the 5,000m race battle to Genzebe Dibaba, who set the world seasonal best with 14:34.99. Cherono slumped to fourth 14:43.11 behind second placed Almas Ayana (Ethiopia) 14:37.16 and Viola Kibiwott (Kenya) 14:40.05.
Kenya’s Job Kinyor timed 1:44.90 to wind fifth in men’s 800m race won by Ethiopian Mohamed Aman, World champion in Moscow. It was Aman’s second consecutive victory in Rome with 1.44.24.
