Moraa, Chebet set for spirited Prefontaine action in Eugene 

World champions Mary Moraa and Beatrice Chebet are set for what is expected to be thrilling Prefontaine Classic action in Eugene on Saturday, May 25, 2024.

This is also the action that Athletics Kenya will take to determine its men's and women's Olympic 10,000m qualifiers.

Meanwhile, Kenya's two-time world cross-country champion Chebet, the world leader at 5000m this season, will be part of a women's race that will include world champion Gudaf Tsegay of Ethiopia. This comes eight months after Tsegay set the world 5000m record on the same track.

Beatrice Chepkoech, who is also a world record holder, will be in action, and top on her mind will be an attempt to retain her controlling hold over the steeplechase when she races top challenger Faith Cherotich. Chepkoech and Cherotich produced the two fastest times in the world this year at the Diamond League meeting in Xiamen, which Chepkoech won in 8:55.40 to Cherotich’s 9:05.91.

The absence of Olympic silver medallist Courtney Frerichs, who will no longer run after injuring the ACL and meniscus in her right knee, is set to be a blessing in disguise for the Kenyan duo.

In the 1500m Diribe Welteji, who won in Los Angeles, will lead a race that will see 13 others compete. World indoor 3000m champion Elle St Pierre, who won the 5000m in Los Angeles, is running her first 1500m of the season, with Laura Muir, Nikki Hiltz, Jessica Hull, Hirut Meshesha, and Cory McGee also entering.

The 5000m race is also expected to be thrilling action as multiple world and Olympic gold medallist Sifan Hassan, as well as world number two Ejgayehu Taye, will feature.

Moraa's rivals

Moraa, the women's 800m champion and a gold medallist, will compete in a field that includes six of the eight competitors from last year’s World Championships final in Budapest, Hungary.

Silver medallist Keely Hodgkinson will be Moraa's top challenger on Saturday. However, bronze medallist Athing Mu, the Olympic champion, who was initially scheduled to race but has been withdrawn out of precaution because of a sore hamstring, is out of action.

For these and more credible stories, join our revamped Telegram and WhatsApp channels.

Telegram: https://t.me/peopledailydigital

WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Va698juDOQIToHyu1p2z