Abeba Aregawi wins the European indoor 1500m title by almost 10 seconds (© Getty Images)
With reigning champion and recent world record-breaker Genzebe Dibaba opting to focus on the 3000m, this event seems to be Abeba Aregawi’s for the taking.
In Stockholm early last month, the 23-year-old Swede registered 3:57.91, making the world champion the second-fastest woman ever indoors.
It makes her the fastest woman over 1500m in Sopot by more than seven seconds, with the Netherlands' Sifan Hassan looking to be Aregawi's nearest challenger.
USA’s prodigious 17-year-old Mary Cain, having set an American junior indoor record over the mile with 4:24.11 earlier this year, was forced to withdraw from the US team due to injury.
She had looked to be a medal contender, but now the battle for minor medals could be between Russian champion Svetlana Karamasheva, Albanian record-holder Luiza Gega and Olympic silver medallist Gamze Bulut.
Nicola Bamford for the IAAF
