Ethiopian multiple indoor World record-holder, Genzebe Dibaba, put her patchy outdoor season form behind her with a strong performance to win the women’s 5000 metres at the IAAF Diamond League – Golden Gala meeting in Rome on Thursday.
[link id=”379″ tax=”post_tag” text=”Genzebe Dibaba” target=”_blank”] raced to victory inside the Roma stadio Olimpico in a world seasonal best time of 14:34.99 ahead of Almaz Ayana of Ethiopia (14:37.16) and Kenyans Viola Jelagat Kibiwott (14:40.05) and [link id=”454″ tax=”post_tag” text=”Mercy Cherono” target=”_blank”] (14:43.11).
Young Dibaba’s win followed in the footsteps of her older sisters Tirunesh and Eyegayehu who won the Golden Gala in the past over this distance. Eyegayehu won in 2004 in 14:37.99. [link id=”249″ tax=”post_tag” text=”Tirunesh” target=”_blank”] won three times in 2005, 2006 and 2008 and set the meeting record clocking 14:32.57 in 2006.
In the women’s 800 metres, Kenya’s [link id=”275″ tax=”post_tag” text=”Eunice Sum” target=”_blank”], the reigning World champion from Moscow 2013, pulled away in the final straight to win in 1:59.49 ahead of Cuba’s 18-year-old Diamond League debutant Sahily Diago (2:00.01).
Former World 800m champions, Janeth Jepkosgei from Kenya and Caster Semenya from South Africa finished in 9th and 10th positions with 2:01.70 and 2:02.66 respectively.
Ethiopian Moscow 2013 world champion, Mohamed Aman, won the men’s 800 metres for the second consecutive year in Rome clocking a time of 1:44.24.
Sudanese Abubaker Kaki Khamis showed that he is returning to his best form finishing second in 1:44.57 five days after running 1:44.09 in Eugene DL. Poland’s Marcin Lewandowski ran an excellent race for third place in 1:44.60 ahead of US Duane Solomon (1:44.90) and Kenyan Job Kinyor (1:44.90).
“It was a very long trip coming from Eugene but I started here with just one goal: to win,” said Aman. “I pushed in the last 100 metres and had the most power in the finish.”
Kenya’s Silas Kiplagat held off Eugene Bowerman Mile winner Ayanleh Souleiman from Djibouti (second with 3:31.19) and double world champion Asbel Kiprop (3:31.89) in the final sprint to win the men’s 1500 metres: race in 3:30.44.
Young German Homiyu Tesfaye, fifth at the 2013 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), Collins Cheboi (3:32.36).
In the men’s 3000m steeplechase, Kenya’s Jairus Birech produced one of the greatest upsets of the evening winning in a seasonal best of 8:06.20 beating 2004 Olympic bronze medallist Paul Kipsiele Koech by 4 minutes, 33 seconds.
Brimin Kipruto, Olympic champion in Bejing 2008, completed the Kenyan sweep in third place with 8:11.39. Pole Krystian Zalewski ran a very good race finishing fifth behind Abel Mutai in a personal best of 8:16.20.
5000m Women Result
- DIBABA Genzebe (ETH) 14:34.99 WL
- AYANA Almaz (ETH) 14:37.16
- KIBIWOT Viola Jelagat (KEN) 14:40.05
- CHERONO Mercy (KEN) 14:43.11 SB
- KISA Janet (KEN) 14:52.59 PB
- HAROYE Alemitu (ETH) 14:52.67 PB
- HUDDLE Molly (USA) 14:55.90
- TIROP Agnes Jebet (KEN) 15:00.19
- JELAGAT Irene (KEN) 15:01.73 PB
Meet The Authors
Yomog Meje is a former Nigerian junior athlete and the Associate editor at Athletics Africa.
