Moroccans Akkaoui, Selsouli and Iguider shine in Lievin

Abdelaati Iguider (Morocco) at Doha 2010/Photo credit: Yomi Omogbeja

Moroccans Malika Akkaoui and Meryem Selsouli set national records in the women's 800m & 1500m and compatriot Abdelaati Iguider won the men's 1500m in world leading time at the Meeting Pas de Calais (an IAAF Indoor Permit Meeting) in  Liévin, France on Tuesday. 

Akkaoui sped to the line in 1:59.01, a national record and also the fastest in the world this year, ahead of second place Kenyan Pamela Jelimo.
 
Jelimo, the reigning Olympic champion from Beijing 2008, clocked 1:59.10 (a Kenyan Indoor record) in her first ever Indoor 800m with Russian Yuliya Tutayeva third in 2:00.18.
 
Iguider set the best time of the year to win the men's 1500m in 3:34.10 ahead of Turkey's Ilham Tanui (3:35.26) and Kenyans Silas Kiplagat (3:35.26), Ismael Kombich (3:35.49), Daniel Kipchirchir Komen (3:36.96) & Nixon Chepseba (3:37.01). 
 
Selsouli took the women's 1500m in another national record 4:03.67 ahead of Siham Hilali 4:04.53 and Ethiopian junior Tizita Bogale 4:06.01 (the World Junior Record is 4:03.28).
 
Kenya's Edwin Soi won the men's 3000m in 7:32.56 ahead of compatriot Isaiah Koech, who improved his own world junior indoor record of 7:37.50 set in Gent last year to 7:32.89. Ethiopian Alamirew Yenew was third in 7:33.30 ahead of Dusseldorf 5000m winner from Kenya Thomas Longosiwa (7:34.81). 
 
Poland´s European U23 Champion Adam Kszczot continued in his unbeaten streak and won the 800m in 1:44.57, the third best performer ever - Only Wilson Kipketer and Yuriy Borzakovskiy have been ever faster indoors.  Kenyan teenager Timothy Kitum came second in 1:45.96 ahead of Russia's Borzakovskiy (1:46.08).
 
 

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