Paul Kipsiele Koech of Kenya on his way to victory in the 3000m Steeplechase (© Getty Images)
A year ago, the athletics arena at Arena Sportpark went wild when Kenyan Paul Kipsiele Koech crossed the finish line in 13:02.95 to become the fourth fastest man ever indoors over 5000m at the fifth PSD Bank Meeting. The then 28-year-old 2004 Olympic bronze medallist in the 3000m Steeplechase suddenly trailed only Ethiopians Kenenisa Bekele and Haile Gebrselassie and Kenyan Daniel Komen.
About one year later, on 11 February 2011, Koech will be back in Dusseldorf, and again compete in the 5,000m at the 6th edition of the meeting. Among others, he will meet 24-year-old US American Galen Rupp, who finished fifth in the 3000m at the World Indoor Championships; 10,000m European bronze medallist Daniele Meucci of Italy, and about half a dozen others.
“The men’s 5,000 metres will be one of the evening’s highlights,” Meeting Director Marc Osenberg promises.
The Dusseldorf crowds will also be enthralled by the Kenyan 1500m specialists. Three of the Kenyan World record team in the 4x1500m Relay will compete: Biwott Tanui, Geoffrey Kipkoech Rono and last year’s winner Augustine Chogo. Four of the top five finishers from last year's race will also toe the line: in addition to the Kenyan trio, Ethiopia’s Mekonnen Gebremedhin, who was fourth at the World Indoor Championships last year. German competitors include Christoph Lohse, the 2008 German indoor runner-up who finished seventh last year in Dusseldorf, and the current German national runner-up, Moritz Waldmann.
Eurosport will broadcast two hours live from the capital of North-Rhine Westphalia on 11 February between 19:30 and 21:30 CET.
Organisers for the IAAF
About one year later, on 11 February 2011, Koech will be back in Dusseldorf, and again compete in the 5,000m at the 6th edition of the meeting. Among others, he will meet 24-year-old US American Galen Rupp, who finished fifth in the 3000m at the World Indoor Championships; 10,000m European bronze medallist Daniele Meucci of Italy, and about half a dozen others.
“The men’s 5,000 metres will be one of the evening’s highlights,” Meeting Director Marc Osenberg promises.
The Dusseldorf crowds will also be enthralled by the Kenyan 1500m specialists. Three of the Kenyan World record team in the 4x1500m Relay will compete: Biwott Tanui, Geoffrey Kipkoech Rono and last year’s winner Augustine Chogo. Four of the top five finishers from last year's race will also toe the line: in addition to the Kenyan trio, Ethiopia’s Mekonnen Gebremedhin, who was fourth at the World Indoor Championships last year. German competitors include Christoph Lohse, the 2008 German indoor runner-up who finished seventh last year in Dusseldorf, and the current German national runner-up, Moritz Waldmann.
Eurosport will broadcast two hours live from the capital of North-Rhine Westphalia on 11 February between 19:30 and 21:30 CET.
Organisers for the IAAF