World Athletics Championships silver medalist Beatrice Chebet and Nicholas Kipkorir produced a thrilling performance on the opening day of the 2022 Wanda Diamond League final in Zurich, Switzerland to pocket Ksh3.6 million each in prize money and a trophy.
Chebet outpaced a star studded field that had the likes of double Olympic champion Sifan Hassan and Ethiopia’s Gudaf Tsegay to bag the 5,000m title in an impressive time of 14:31.03.
The 22-year-old who is a former World Athletics Cross Country Under 20 champion, used the same tactic she employed during the recently concluded Commonwealth Games to win the race.
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She stayed at the back and allowed the likes of Tsegay to dictate the pace before accelerating when it mattered most to win the race.
Margaret Chelimo came second in 14:31.52 to hand Kenya a 1-2 podium-place finish while race favorite Tsegay settled for third in 14:32.11.
Kipkorir on the other hand clocked 12:59.05 to defeat the likes of title holder Berihu Aregawi and run away with the 5,000m men’s title.
Domnic Lokinyomo and Grant Fisher settled for second and third in 12:59.40 and 13:00.56 respectively.
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Kipkorir’s victory ended Kenya’s 5,000m Diamond League final drought. The last Kenyan to win that title was Caleb Mwangangi in 2014.
Some of the other Kenyans who are expected to line up today include reigning 1,500m world champion Faith Kipyegon, Mary Moraa, Timothy Cheruiyot and Emmanuel Korir.
The Zurich Diamond League meeting is the final leg of the 2022 Wanda Diamond League season.
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