Previews15 Jul 2016


Preview: women's 5000m – IAAF World U20 Championships Bydgoszcz 2016

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Bahraini 1500m runner Dalila Gosa (© Getty Images)

World junior cross-country champion Letesenbet Gidey leads this year’s world U20 list by 25 seconds but the 18-year-old is a noteworthy absentee.

In fact, none of the four Ethiopians ranked inside the top 10 on the world U20 list will be in action in Bydgoszcz. The selectors have instead put their faith in the inexperienced duo of Kalkidan Fente and Yetaysh Mekonnen, who finished first and third at the Ethiopian Junior Championships in 16:26.11 and 16:32.19 respectively.

The Kenyans were thoroughly beaten in Eugene two years ago but their pair of Emmaculate Chepkirui and Catherine Mwanzau are expected to have the upper hand over their Ethiopian rivals.

But the pre-race favourites will be the Ethiopian-born Bahraini duo made up of world U18 1500m silver medallist Dalila Abdulkadir Gosa and Bontu Rebitu, who boast PBs of 15:10.79 and 15:25.12 respectively.

Another bonafide medal contender is the emerging Rwandan Salome Nyirarukando, who leads the world U20 10,000m list with 31:45.82. With the 25-lap event no longer on the programme, Nyirarukando will endeavour to claim her country’s first ever medal in World U20 Championships history over 5000m.

Also watch for the Japanese pair of Rika Kaseda and Mikuni Yada and the talented German Alina Reh, who won the European junior 3000m and 5000m titles last summer.

Steven Mills for the IAAF

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