Sealed With A Kiss: Faith Chepng'etich Makes Prefontaine Classic Victorious Return
1st July 2019
Record-holder Chepkoech and holder Timothy Cheruiyot also reign supreme as Kenya's flag soars high in IAAF Diamond League meet
- In other notable results of the IAAF Diamond League meeting that was transferred from Oregon to Stanford, women 3000m steeplechase record holder, Beatrice Chepkoech rediscovered her winning touch after surprise defeat in Oslo
- Cheruiyot retained his title in the Bowerman Mile, the Kenyan winning in a world-leading 3:50.49
- South Africa's Olympic and world champion, Caster Semenya cruised to a 1:55.70 victory in the women’s 800m, improving on her own meeting record. USA’s Ajee Wilson, Raevyn Rogers and Hanna Green filled the next three places, all with sub-1:59 clockings
CALIFORNIA, United States- Olympic and world women 1500m champion, Faith Chepng'etich Kipyegon marked an emphatic return to the elite racing circuit after attending to maternal duties with a scintillating victory at the 2019 Prefontaine Classic on Sunday night.
In other notable results of the IAAF Diamond League meeting that was transferred from Oregon to Stanford, women 3000m steeplechase record holder, Beatrice Chepkoech rediscovered her winning touch after surprise defeat in Oslo.
London 2017 men 1500m silver medallist and Diamond Trophy winner, Timothy Cheruiyot retained his title in the prestigious Bowerman Mile as the Kenyan flag flew high in California.
Ahead of a possible title defence at the 2019 IAAF World Championships in Doha in September, attention was fixed on the shape Chepng'etich would return with in a race where for a runner of her undoubted quality, she was surprisingly cast outside the favourites in the women 1500m showdown.
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However, she simply picked off where she left before her maternal break following her success at London 2017 where a slew of fast finishers made the most of the women’s 1500m as Kenya’s Olympic champion held off final lap assaults by Great Britain’s Laura Muir and USA’s Shelby Houlihan to take to the honours.
Kipyegon’s last circuit of 61.33 put her 0.43 ahead of runner-up Muir, 3:59.04 to 3:59.47. Houlihan finished third in 3:59.64 with Ethiopia’s Gudaf Tsegay taking fourth in 3:59.85.
Surprise defeat
After a surprise defeat in Oslo, Kenya’s world steeplechase record-holder Chepkoech was keen to assert her dominance in Stanford.
A gap began to open after a quick 2:55.07 opening kilometre by Chepkoech, with Jeruto in second followed by Celliphine Chespol, world champion Emma Coburn and Hyvin Kiyeng of Kenya. Although she had slipped off world record pace, Chepkoech had a 10-second gap on the field with a lap to go.
Coburn, who had fallen earlier in the race, made up a bit of ground over the last two laps, but Chepkoech was a comfortable winner in a world-leading 8:55.58 – the fifth-fastest time in history – with Coburn second in 9:04.90 and Kiyeng third in 9:05.81.
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Cheruiyot retained his title in the Bowerman Mile, the Kenyan winning in a world-leading 3:50.49.
Djibouti’s Ayanleh Souleiman won the sprint for second (3:51.22) against the Norwegian Ingebrigtsen brothers Filip (3:51.28) and 18-year-old Jakob, (3:51.30) who came third and fourth.
Timothy Cheruiyot of Kenya crosses the line to win the men's 1 Mile during the Prefontaine Classic at Cobb Track & Angell Field on June 30, 2019 in Stanford, California. PHOTO/AFP
USA’s Craig Engels was fifth in 3:51.60, while Olympic champion Matthew Centrowitz was sixthin 3:52.26. World indoor record-holder Samuel Tefera finished eighth just ahead of Bethwell Birgen (3:53.32) of Kenya.
Compatriot and world champion Elijah Manangoi endured a deflating night when he was forced down the order to 12th in 3:57.48, a place above the powerful figure of Yomif Kejelcha (3:58.24) of Ethiopia.
Fellow London 2017 gold medallist, Hellen Obiri (8:27.26) was beaten to sixth in the star-studded women 3000m where Ethiopian-born Dutch runner Sifan Hassan claimed victory.
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The field included world 1500m record-holder Genzebe Dibaba, world 5000m champion Obiri, Olympic 10,000m titleholder Almaz Ayana and European 5000m winner Hassan, among others. After a swift 31-second opening 200m, the pace soon settled and the pacemaker took the field through 1000m in 2:45.75.
Final kilometre
Ayana was ultimately never a factor but the other big contenders were all still in the lead pack as they approached the final kilometre.
Ethiopia’s Letesenbet Gidey made an early break and led from Dibaba with 800m to go with Hassan and Germany’s Konstanze Klosterhalfen also close behind.
With 600m left, Dibaba started to fall behind, while Hassan and Klosterhalfen were gaining. Gidey took the bell at 7:13.97, with Hassan a little more than second back. Hassan passed Gidey with 250 metres left as Dibaba was now contending with Klosterhalfen.
Hassan pulled away down the homestretch and went on to win in 8:18.49 – the fastest time in the world since 1993 and a three-second improvement on the European record.
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Klosterhalfen passed Dibaba and then Gidey to take second place in 8:20.07, also finishing inside the previous European record. Gidey finished third in an Ethiopian record of 8:20.27 while Dibaba was fourth (8:21.29) and Obiri sixth.
In the men Two Miles promotional event, World Cross Country champion Joshua Cheptegei of Uganda held on to take victory in an exciting three-way finish.
The tightly bunched pack was led by a pacemaker through 880 yards in 2:03.4 and the first mile in 4:04.9. After the pacemaker stepped off, Selemon Barega,
Cheptegei and Kenyan-born Paul Chelimo of the USA were left to fight it out.
Over the next lap Barega put some distance between Cheptegei and Chelimo, but Cheptegei made up the lost ground on the next lap, leaving Chelimo nearly three seconds off the pace with a lap to go. Cheptegei moved on to Barega’s shoulder with 200 metres to go and passed him at the top of the final bend.
Chelimo, meanwhile, was starting to motor and was closing with ever stride as he entered the home straight. Cheptegei passed Barega and for a moment it looked as though Chelimo’s momentum would take him across the line first, but the Ugandan held on to take a narrow 8:07.54 victory over Chelimo, whose 28.63 last 200m left him .05 short. Barega faded to third in 8:08.69.
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South Africa's Olympic and world champion, Caster Semenya cruised to a 1:55.70 victory in the women’s 800m, improving on her own meeting record. USA’s Ajee Wilson, Raevyn Rogers and Hanna Green filled the next three places, all with sub-1:59 clockings.
-Material from the IAAF used to compile this report
Prefontaine Classic
Stanford, 30/06/2019
Men's results
100 Metres - Men - Diamond Discipline Wind: -0.1 m/s
Pts
1 Coleman , Christian USA 9.81 8
2 Gatlin , Justin USA 9.87 7
3 Hughes , Zharnel GBR 9.97 6
4 Gillespie , Cravon USA 10.05 5
5 Rodgers , Michael USA 10.08 4
6 Cissé , Arthur CIV 10.12 3
7 Tortu , Filippo ITA 10.21 2
8 Burrell , Cameron USA 10.21 1
9 Tracey , Tyquendo JAM 10.42
400 Metres - Men - Diamond Discipline
Pts
1 Norman , Michael USA 44.62 8
2 Montgomery , Kahmari USA 45.12 7
3 Kerley , Fred USA 45.33 6
4 Jones , Jonathan BAR 45.46 5
5 London , Wilbert USA 45.57 4
6 Cedenio , Machel TTO 45.71 3
7 Cherry , Michael USA 45.92 2
8 Taplin , Bralon GRN 45.94 1
9 Thebe , Baboloki BOT 46.20
One Mile - Men - Diamond Discipline
Pts
1 Cheruiyot , Timothy KEN 3:50.49 8
2 Souleiman , Ayanleh DJI 3:51.22 7
3 Ingebrigtsen , Filip NOR 3:51.28 6
4 Ingebrigtsen , Jakob NOR 3:51.30 5
5 Engels , Craig USA 3:51.60 4
6 Centrowitz , Matthew USA 3:52.26 3
7 Blankenship , Ben USA 3:52.51 2
8 Tefera , Samuel ETH 3:53.50 1
9 Birgen , Bethwell KEN 3:54.32
10 Murphy , Clayton USA 3:54.37
11 Gregorek , John USA 3:54.50
12 Manangoi , Elijah Motonei KEN 3:57.48
13 Kejelcha , Yomif ETH 3:58.24
14 Willis , Nick NZL 3:59.55
Abda , Harun USA DNF
Kaazouzi , Brahim MAR DNF
Sein , Timothy KEN DNF
Two Miles - Men - Promotional Event
1 Cheptegei , Joshua UGA 8:07.54
2 Chelimo , Paul USA 8:07.59
3 Barega , Selemon ETH 8:08.69
4 Ahmed , Mohammed CAN 8:15.76
5 Kiplangat , Davis KEN 8:16.02
6 McSweyn , Stewart AUS 8:16.28
7 Yator , Richard KEN 8:18.09
8 Molla , Getaneh ETH 8:18.88
9 Knight , Justyn CAN 8:19.75
10 Balew , Birhanu BRN 8:20.56
11 Jenkins , Eric USA 8:22.37
12 Erassa , Kirubel USA 8:25.14
13 Tanui , Paul Kipngetich KEN 8:28.60
14 Soget , Justus KEN 8:33.00
15 Kwemoi , Ronald KEN 8:42.41
Kibet , Vincent KEN DNF
Som , Bram NED DNF
Mengesha , Milkesa ETH DNS
110 Metres Hurdles - Men - Diamond Discipline Wind: +0.3 m/s
Pts
1 Ortega , Orlando ESP 13.24 8
2 Belocian , Wilhem FRA 13.29 7
3 McLeod , Omar JAM 13.29 6
4 Levy , Ronald JAM 13.30 5
5 Allen , Devon USA 13.33 4
6 Xie , Wenjun CHN 13.36 3
7 Crittenden , Freddie USA 13.38 2
8 Harris , Aleec USA 13.39 1
9 Swift , Greggmar BAR 13.56
400 Metres Hurdles - Men - Diamond Discipline
Pts
1 Benjamin , Rai USA 47.16 8
2 McMaster , Kyron IVB 48.94 7
3 Copello , Yasmani TUR 49.37 6
4 Kendziera , David USA 49.46 5
5 Holmes , TJ USA 49.79 4
6 Rosser , Khallifah USA 49.87 3
7 Lattin , Amere USA 50.01 2
8 Vaillant , Ludvy FRA 50.23 1
9 Mägi , Rasmus EST 50.25
Pole Vault - Men - Diamond Discipline
Pts
1 Duplantis , Armand SWE 5.93 8
2 Kendricks , Sam USA 5.88 7
3 Lisek , Piotr POL 5.71 6
4 Nilsen , Christopher USA 5.71 5
5 Walsh , Cole USA 5.61 4
6 Lavillenie , Valentin FRA 5.61 3
7 Braz , Thiago BRA 5.61 2
8 Lavillenie , Renaud FRA 5.46 1
Shot Put - Men - Diamond Discipline
Pts
1 Romani , Darlan BRA 22.61 8
2 Crouser , Ryan USA 22.17 7
3 Walsh , Tomas NZL 21.76 6
4 Haratyk , Michal POL 21.61 5
5 Kovacs , Joe USA 21.39 4
6 Hill , Darrell USA 21.35 3
7 Stanek , Tomáš CZE 20.77 2
8 Otterdahl , Payton USA 20.58 1
9 Bukowiecki , Konrad POL 19.28
Women's results
100 Metres - Women - Promotional Event Wind: +0.3 m/s
1 Ta Lou , Marie-Josée CIV 11.02
2 Hobbs , Aleia USA 11.04
3 Daniels , Teahna USA 11.13
4 Richardson , Sha'Carri USA 11.15
5 Ahye , Michelle-Lee TTO 11.23
6 Gardner , English USA 11.24
7 Bowie , Tori USA 11.30
8 Fraser-Pryce , Shelly-Ann JAM 11.39
9 Kambundji , Mujinga SUI 11.42
200 Metres - Women - Diamond Discipline Wind: +1.9 m/s
Pts
1 Okagbare , Blessing NGR 22.05 8
2 Thompson , Elaine JAM 22.21 7
3 Asher-Smith , Dina GBR 22.42 6
4 Naser , Salwa Eid BRN 22.51 5
5 Prandini , Jenna USA 22.53 4
6 Schippers , Dafne NED 22.62 3
7 Brown , Brittany USA 22.99 2
8 Jefferson , Kyra USA 23.07 1
9 Lalova-Collio , Ivet BUL 23.12
800 Metres - Women - Diamond Discipline
Pts
1 Semenya , Caster RSA 1:55.70 8
2 Wilson , Ajee USA 1:58.36 7
3 Rogers , Raevyn USA 1:58.65 6
4 Green , Hanna USA 1:58.75 5
5 Alemu , Habitam ETH 1:59.25 4
6 Goule , Natoya JAM 1:59.82 3
7 Wang , Chunyu CHN 2:05.68 2
8 Prishchepa , Natal?ya UKR 2:50.33 1
Williams , Chrishuna USA DNF
1500 Metres - Women - Promotional Event
1 Kipyegon , Faith KEN 3:59.04
2 Muir , Laura GBR 3:59.47
3 Houlihan , Shelby USA 3:59.64
4 Tsegay , Gudaf ETH 3:59.85
5 Nanyondo , Winnie UGA 4:00.09
6 DeBues-Stafford , Gabriela CAN 4:02.06
7 Hull , Jessica AUS 4:02.62
8 Grace , Kate USA 4:02.99
9 Hailu , Lemlem ETH 4:06.61
10 Efraimson , Alexa USA 4:06.77
11 Arafi , Rababe MAR 4:06.78
12 Jones , Danielle USA 4:07.28
13 Embaye , Axumawit ETH 4:14.47
14 Chebet , Winny KEN 4:24.51
15 Hall , Linden AUS 4:24.78
Côté , Laurence CAN DNF
Harris , Jessica USA DNF
3000 Metres - Women - Diamond Discipline
Pts
1 Hassan , Sifan NED 8:18.49 8
2 Klosterhalfen , Konstanze GER 8:20.07 7
3 Gidey , Letesenbet ETH 8:20.27 6
4 Dibaba , Genzebe ETH 8:21.29 5
5 Weightman , Laura GBR 8:26.07 4
6 Obiri , Hellen KEN 8:27.26 3
7 Tirop , Agnes Jebet KEN 8:27.51 2
8 Kipkirui , Caroline Chepkoech KEN 8:31.45 1
9 Worku , Fantu ETH 8:32.10
10 Kipkemboi , Margaret Chelimo KEN 8:32.96
11 Teferi , Senbere ETH 8:36.26
12 Rengeruk , Lilian Kasait KEN 8:37.31
13 Feysa , Hawi ETH 8:40.79
14 Schweizer , Karissa USA 8:42.15
15 Scott , Dominique RSA 8:43.88
16 Chebet , Beatrice KEN 8:53.60
17 Kelati Frezghi , Weini ERI 8:53.89
18 Ayana , Almaz ETH 8:57.16
Kuria , Mary KEN DNF
Osika , Shannon USA DNF
3000 Metres Steeplechase - Women - Diamond Discipline
Pts
1 Chepkoech , Beatrice KEN 8:55.58 8
2 Coburn , Emma USA 9:04.90 7
3 Kiyeng , Hyvin KEN 9:05.81 6
4 Jepkemei , Daisy KEN 9:08.45 5
5 Frerichs , Courtney USA 9:09.75 4
6 Jeruto , Norah KEN 9:10.61 3
7 Quigley , Colleen USA 9:11.41 2
8 Chespol , Celliphine Chepteek KEN 9:12.37 1
9 Yavi , Winfred Mutile BRN 9:12.98
10 Chemutai , Peruth UGA 9:24.32
11 Chepkurui , Mercy KEN 9:25.32
12 Chepngetich , Roseline KEN 9:27.10
13 Ostrander , Allie USA 9:31.44
14 Lawrence , Mel USA 9:33.48
15 Krause , Gesa Felicitas GER 9:35.67
16 Xu , Shuangshuang CHN 9:49.80
Tuigong , Caroline KEN DNF
High Jump - Women - Diamond Discipline
Pts
1 Lasitskene , Mariya ANA 2.04 8
2 Cunningham , Vashti USA 2.00 7
3 Mahuchikh , Yaroslava UKR 2.00 6
4 Levchenko , Yuliya UKR 1.95 5
5 Kinsey , Erika SWE 1.95 4
6 Spencer , Levern LCA 1.92 3
7 McDermott , Nicola AUS 1.88 2
Shot Put - Women - Diamond Discipline
Pts
1 Gong , Lijiao CHN 19.79 8
2 Thomas-Dodd , Danniel JAM 19.26 7
3 Ealey , Chase USA 19.23 6
4 Dubitskaya , Aliona BLR 18.98 5
5 Schwanitz , Christina GER 18.77 4
6 Carter , Michelle USA 18.21 3
7 Ewen , Maggie USA 18.04 2
8 Guba , Paulina POL 17.54 1
9 Márton , Anita HUN 17.46