Star excited as races back in Diamond League
World 3,000m steeplechase champion Beatrice Chepkoech has welcomed the move by the Diamond league to reinstate key events that were dropped during the 2020 season.
Chepkoech said World Athletics has listened to them. “I am elated and inspired to be in good shape now more than ever before.
It’s my desire to win the Olympic title and perhaps lower the world record again,” Chepkoech told People Sports.
In February this year, Chepkoech was victorious at the World Athletics Indoor Tour meeting in Dusseldorf where she clocked a Kenyan Indoor 1,500m record of 4:02.09.
She is also the reigning world 3,000m steeplechase champion and also the world record holder at 8:44.32.
The runner who trains under the watchful eye of Gabriel Kiptanui also holds a personal best of 14:39.33 in 5,000m.
In a statement announced on Friday the Wanda Diamond League said it plans to return to a full competition format next year with a complete programme of 32 disciplines if the global health situation allows it.
A new format was introduced for the 2020 season with the disciplines brought down to 24 in an effort to create a faster-paced meeting fit for television viewers but the move was widely criticised.
As a result, the Athletes Association headed by Olympic triple jump champion Christian Taylor was formed to voice the athletes’ concern with former world javelin champion Julius Yego appointed Africa chapter representative.
“Athletics is now back to where it was,” said Yego.
“This has been a frustrating year for the athletes, meeting directors, broadcasters, sponsors and of course fans,” Diamond League Association chairman and the president of the sport’s governing body Sebastian Coe said.
