News25 Apr 2019


Chepkoech, Hassan and Kejelcha headline Shanghai’s distance fields – IAAF Diamond League

FacebookTwitterEmail

Beatrice Chepkoech wins the steeplechase at the IAAF Diamond League meeting in Shanghai (© Errol Anderson)

Steeplechase world record-holder Beatrice Chepkoech, European 5000m champion Sifan Hassan and world indoor record-holder Yomif Kejelcha will all be in action in Shanghai on Saturday 18 May for the second IAAF Diamond League meeting of 2019.

Chepkoech, world ranked No.1 in the steeplechase, will hope to repeat last year’s dramatic victory when she takes on 2015 world champion Hyvin Kiyeng, world ranked No.2, world U20 champion Celliphine Chespol, world ranked No.5, and 2016 African champion Norah Jeruto, world ranked No.4.

Chepkoech won last year’s race when Jeruto slipped and fell in the home straight after the pair had broken free before the final lap.

Bahrain’s Asian champion Winfred Yavi, world ranked No.7, and Ugandan teenager Peruth Chemutai, world ranked No.8, will also be ones to watch as they seek to break up the Kenyan train.

 
Sifan Hassan on her way to winning the 1500m at the IAAF Diamond League meeting in Paris

 

Sifan Hassan, world ranked No.1 over 5000m, will step back down to the 1500m, the distance she contested when she first raced in Shanghai back in 2014. Since then she has become one of the best distance runners in the world, winning four European titles, a world indoor 1500m title and two world bronze medals.

The Dutch distance runner will face 2016 world indoor bronze medallist Gudaf Tsegay, world ranked No.2 at 1500m, 2016 world indoor silver medallist Dawit Seyaum, African champion Winny Chebet, world ranked No.6, Nelly Jepkosgei, world ranked No.13, and USA’s 2013 world silver medallist Brenda Martinez, world ranked No.29.

 
Yomif Kejelcha wins the 3000m at the IAAF Diamond League meeting in Rabat

 

The men’s 5000m promises to be equally enthralling with a line-up containing Ethiopia’s world indoor and outdoor champions, Yomif Kejelcha and Muktar Edris, world ranked No.2 and No.6 respectively, going head to head alongside USA’s world and Olympic medallist Paul Chelimo, world ranked No.5, and Morocco’s 2012 world indoor 1500m champion Abdelaati Iguider.

Add to the picture world 5000m No.1 Selemon Berega, who ran the fastest 5000m of 2018 to win the IAAF Diamond League final last August, plus fellow Ethiopian Hagos Gebrhiwet, world ranked No.4, who was second in Brussels, and there’s quite a race in prospect in Shanghai.

The 2019 Shanghai Diamond League meeting on 18 May features 16 international events, nine for men (100m, 200m, 400m, 5000m, 110m hurdles, 400m hurdles, high jump, long jump, javelin) and seven for women (100m, 400m, 1500m, 3000m steeplechase, pole vault, shot put, javelin).

Organisers for the IAAF

Loading...