Obiri leads Kenyans
Ericson Kiprono
World cross country champion Hellen Obiri will lead a galaxy of Kenyan stars to the Belgium capital Brussels tomorrow during the last leg of the IAAF Diamond League series.
Obiri, who will contest the 5,000m has already made a piece of history this year by winning gold at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships in Aarhus, Denmark. In doing so, she became the first athlete to dominate the track and cross-country.
During the second leg of the diamond league in Doha early this month Obiri electrified the 2019 IAAF Diamond League season with a dramatic triumph in the women’s 3,000m race.
The World Cross Country champion clinched the victory with a time of 8:25.60 after beating her bitter rival Genzebe Dibaba of Ethiopia who managed a personal best (PB) of 8:26.20.
Obiri is also the reigning world 5,000m champion and she will be looking to start her track campaign on a high as she builds up to the IAAF World Championships Doha 2019 from September 27 to October 6.
She will be facing off with World 10,000m bronze medallist Agnes Tirop Jebet as well as World U20 5,000m champion Beatrice Chebet, and World 3,000m steeplechase record holder Beatrice Chepkoech, Eva Cherono, Margaret Chelimo, and Caroline Kipkirui.
Caroline who won in Doha 12 months ago in 8:29.05 and has a PB of 14:27.55, and Commonwealth silver medallist Margaret Chelimo(14:32.82).
World 3,000m steeplechase record holder Beatrice Chepkoech who led a podium sweep for Kenya at the Weltklasse in Zurich last week, where the first 16 IAAF Diamond League winners of 2019 were also crowned.
Chepkoech won in an impressive 9:01.71 after a solo run. Olympic silver medallist Hyvin Kiyeng (9:03.83) and Africa champion Norah Jeruto (9:05.15) followed. The performance should also inspire the Kenyan team at the IAAF World Athletics Championships in Doha, Qatar, on September 28 to October 6.
