Omanyala Makes History Again As Koech Claims Steeplechase Glory
17th September 2023
The Arican record holder became the first Kenyan to compete in a Diamond League final.
- Omanyala clocked 9.85 to finish behind Christian Coleman and Noah Lyles.
- The race served as perfect recovery for Omanyala who was left disappointed following his seventh-place finish in the Budapest World Championships.
- Simon Koech clocked 8:06.26 to win his maiden Diamond League title in the men’s 3000m steeplechase race.
Kenya’s
sprint sensation Ferdinand Omanyala managed a third-place photo finish in the
2023 Diamond League final held on Saturday night after clocking 9.85 seconds.
In what was
the very first time a Kenyan had made it to the Diamond League finals, Omanyala
was just pipped to the crown by USA’s Christian Coleman who upset World
Champion Noah Lyles after timing a world leading 9.83 ahead of his compatriot.
Lyles was
left to settle for second after recovering in the last stages of the race as he
clocked an identical 9.85 as Omanyala.
The race
served as perfect recovery for reigning Commonwealth champion who was left disappointed following his
seventh-place finish in the Budapest World Championships.
Meanwhile,
Simon Koech continued his upward trajectory as he clocked 8:06.26 to win his
maiden Diamond League title in the men’s 3000m steeplechase race.
Making just
his second appearance in a Diamond League event, the former world U20 3000m
steeplechase bronze medalist won the crown ahead of Ethiopia’s Firewu Samuel
and George Beamish from New Zealand, making up for his disappointment in
Budapest where he finhsed seventh.
Koech made
his Diamond League debut in July when won in Monaco after clocking a Personal Best time of 8:04.19 that booked him his ticket to the Budapest World Championships.
Elsewhere, American
400m hurdler Rai Benjamin and Norwegian miler Jakob Ingebrigtsen both set new
Diamond League records on a dramatic first day.
Benjamin
soared to a stunning win over world champion Karsten Warholm in the first race
of the night 400m hurdles, taking Warholm's Diamond League record as he did so
with a brilliant 46.39.
Two hours
later, it was Ingebrigtsen's turn to shine as he clocked 3:43.73 in the
Bowerman Mile, missing out on the world record by just over half a second and
claiming a new Diamond League record as he defended his title from the previous
year.
Triple jump
world record holder Yulimar Rojas defender her Diamond League title while
Japanese javelin thrower Haruka Kitaguchi and South Korean high jumper
Sanghyeok Woo became the first athletes from their respective countries to win
the Diamond Trophy.
There was
also a surprise in the women’s 100m as Shericka Jackson beat Sha'Carri
Richardson.
Jackson will be aiming to do a rare Diamond League double when she takes to the track for the 200m at the second day of the final on Sunday.