Relentless Beatrice Chepkoech Breaks Kenya's 1500m Indoor Record

NAIROBI, Kenya- Beatrice Chepkoech bounced back from a disappointing fourth place finish in Karlsruhe to break 1500m indoor record at the Dusseldorf leg of the World Indoor Tour.

The Steeplechase world record holder crossed the line in 4:02.09 clipping 0.12 off the previous national record, also setting the fastest time in the world this season over the distance.

Chepkoech proved to be the force to reckon with, upping the tempo as she broke away from the pacesetter with three-and-a-half laps to go.

She was relentless, clicking off nearly identical laps of 32.07 and 32.05 over laps five and six. The seventh, nearly a second quicker at 31.25, cushioned the Kenyan’s lead and ultimately put it out of reach.

Embaye’s persistence was rewarded with a 4:02.96 season’s best for second, earning her enough points to maintain her lead in the Tour standings.

Winnie Nanyondo was third in 4:06.13, a national indoor record for Uganda.

Meanwhile, Kenya’s Vincent Kibet finished third in the men’s race clocking 3:39.49 in a race won by Norway’s Filip Ingebrigtsen who clocked 3:36.32 win.

In the 3,000m, Bethwel Birgen failed to make it three in a row after he finished third behind Ethiopian youngster Selemon Barega after a gutsy battle over the final lap.

Running in his season’s debut, Barega powered past the Kenyan as they entered the straight to take a convincing win in 7:35.71, another world lead, indoor personal best and meet record.

His Ethiopian compatriot Getnet Wale snuck in for second in 7:36.03 with Birgen, the winner in the Boston and Karlsruhe legs, next in 7:36.21, a personal best.