Kipchoge, Defar, Dibaba, Aman and Chepseba impress in Birmingham - Aviva Grand Prix wrap

Defar leads Obiri and Burka during the 3000m yesterday/ Photo: Yomi Omogbeja

Kenyan Eliud Kipchoge destroyed Briton Mohammed (Mo) Farah on home turf, World leads and stadium records from Ethiopians Meseret Defar, Genzebe Dibaba and Mohammed Aman highlights African performances at the Aviva Indoor Grand Prix meet in Birmingham on Saturday.

Former World 5000m champion Kipchoge stormed to the lead at the final bend to win the men's Two miles in a personal best 8:07.39 consigning home star Mo Farah to second place, albeit in a British record 8:08.07.

Moses Ndiema Kipsiro settled for third place in an Ugandan record of 8:08.16 and Ethiopian Tariku Bekele was fourth in a personal best 8:08.27.

"Today I felt a lot better (than I have been). It’s showing that my winter training is going well," said Kipchoge after the race.

"It was a tough field, but this is what athletics is all about - running with the big champions in the big races."

Nixon Chepseba from Kenya overhauled a strong field in the men's 1500m to set a season’s best of 3:34.70 ahead of compatriot Bethwel Birgen (3:34.88) and Ethiopian Gebremedhin Mekonnen (3:34.89, PB)

Ethiopian Mohamed Aman Geleto set a national indoor record of 1:45.40 to win the men's 800m.

The 18-year-old, who in Milan last year became the first man to defeat David Rudisha at 800m since 2009, lunged past Polish European champion Marcin Lewandowski to win by one-hundredth of a second. Boaz Lalang from Kenya settled for third place in a season's best time of 1:45.75.

After the race, Aman told reporters: "There were three of us very close together on the last lap. On the indoor track it’s very tight, but I came through so it was good. There were some very good athletes with great experience, so it was very good for me ahead of the world indoors."

Records tumble

Ethiopian new sensation and two-times World Junior Cross Country Champion, Genzebe Dibaba smashed the Birmingham Indoor stadium record in the 1500m.

Dibaba, 21, who was initially supposed to go head-to-head with team-mate Meseret Defar over this distance, clocked 4:01.33 to win ahead of Hannah England of Great Britain (4:09.79) and American Anna Pierce (4:11.85, PB).

Defar, the reigning 3000m World Indoor champion, narrowly missed Sentayehu Ejigu’s 3000m stadium record, but the World 3000m record-holder, who is aiming for her fifth world indoor title in Istanbul next month, improved her world-leading mark of 8:33.57 to 8:31.56.

Kenyan Helen Obiri achieved a lifetime best time of 8:35.35 for second place ahead of Gelete Burka (8:36.59,SB) who held off Ethiopian teammate Meselech Melkamu (8:47.56) for third position.

"The crowd was very nice to me out there. It was fantastic. I know in Birmingham, the crowd is very into athletics and they were fantastic," said Defar.

"I was very happy with the race. I wanted to run under 8:30.00, but this was very nice nonetheless. I had to run a lot of laps on my own, so didn’t really push on.

"The World Indoor Championships are my priority now and I very much want to get gold. That is all I am concentrating on now. And then I can’t wait to come back to the UK to compete in the Olympic Games. It’s going to be fantastic and I can’t wait for it," she added.

Olympic silver medallist Godfrey Khotso Mokoena from South Africa was third with 7.89m in the men's Long Jump which was won by Samuel Olukayode Olusola (JJ) Jegede, Briton of Nigerian descent, with a personal best 8.04m. Spaniard Luiz Meliz finished second with a fifth round jump of 7.91m.

Nigerian Gloria Asunmu finished a disappointing 7th (7.33 secs) in the women's 60m final.However, the 26-year0old Tulane University graduate set a season's best 7.18 secs to finish second behind eventual winner, Tianna Madison of the United States in the Heats earlier in the day.

Complete Results

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