Kenya: Kiprop Stuns Field

Nairobi Star (Nairobi)

William Njuguna

11 June 2011

Olympic 1,500m champion Asbel Kiprop produced a stunning victory in the Dream Mile at the fifth event of the Samsung Diamond league meeting in Oslo on Thursday. Kiprop reminded his rivals that he will be the man to beat and is a frontrunner for the world championships in the four lap race.

Kiprop ran a tactful race weathering the rainy conditions to win in 3:50.86 ahead of former Africa champion Haroun Keitany who came second, posting 3:51.02. Ethiopia’s Gebremedhin Mekonen took third position registering 3:51.30 while late entrant Mohammed Shaween of Saudi Arabia was pleased he made the trip as he finished fourth in a national record of 3:52.00.

It was sweet revenge for Kiprop who had been beaten by Keitany at the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, USA. Nixon Chepseba who has the fastest time in the 1,500m came home sixth, posting 3:51:30 with 2006 Commonwealth Games Champion Augustine Choge finishing a disappointing seventh in a time of 3:53.81

Paul Kipsiele Koech ruled the 3000 meters steeplechase as he clocked the fastest time in the world in 8:01.83 a meet record for Oslo. Olympic champion, Brimin Kipruto, took second in 8:05.40 with Ethiopia’s Roba Gary recording a season’s best of 8:10.41 in third.

France’s European champion Mahiedine Mekhissi, who had been targeting the European record of 8:01.13, finished a disconsolate fourth in 8:14.38.”I wanted to push the pace and help the others,” Koech told IAAF. “They spoke about the European record. But then nobody followed me so I used my shape and was pushing alone. “noted Koech

In the men’s 1500 meters Nicholas Kemboi c came out tops as he clocked 3:37.25 with Hilary Maiyo coming home second posting 3:37.27 Algeria’s Imad Touli was placed third as he registered 3:37.47

Former world 800 meter champion Janeth Jepkosgei struggled in the her specialty coming home fourth in a time of 1:59.05 .Morocco’s Halima Hachlaf took the honours posting 1:58.27.World champion Caster Semenya of South Africa a finished third posting 1:58.61 with Russia’s Mariya Saminova finishing second in a time of 1:58.44

Kenya’s quartet in the 5000 meters was no match for bitter rivals Ethiopia in the wet conditions. Former world champion Meseret Defar led a 1-2 -3 for Ethiopia . Defar timed the clock at 14:37.32 with Ejigu Sentaheyu taking second in a time of 14:37.50 .Genzebe Dibaba was placed third posting 14:37.56 . Prisca Jepleting was the highest placed Kenyan in sixth posting 14:43.60 with Pauline Korkwaing ninth at 14:54.36

Meanwhile Usain Bolt’s sublime confidence in his ability to run the 200m better than anyone else turned out to be fully justified as he completed his first long sprint for 13 months in a time of 19.86sec. He finished easily clear of his nearest challenger in the fifth of this season’s Samsung Diamond League meetings, home runner Jaysuma Ndure.

But Bolt, whose two other races this season have seen him win over 100m in 9.91, relatively ordinary for the man with a 9.58 to his credit, happily batted away the suggestion after the ExxonMobil Bislett Games were over that he was “back in business.”I’ve never been out of business,” he said with a grin after completing a long, wet lap of honour which appeared to have taken more out of him than his watery run. “I think business was just slow. I think people expect too much of me. I’m only human. I’m taking steps to get back to my best. I’m feeling good. I’m going to get there. I’ve got two and a half months until the world championships so now I am going to go back home and get back to work and I am going to try and stay injury free. That’s the key.”

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