Steeplechasers in action (© Getty Images)
An event in which Kenya essentially holds a monopoly, it will come as a major surprise if they fail to take gold, and silver, when they settle down to fight it out in the last individual event on the programme on Sunday evening (16).
Pressure will be high for their duo, Leonard Kipkemoi Bett and Cleophas Kandie Meyan, though they appear to hold a considerable advantage over their rivals, at least on paper. Bett is the national champion, having taken victory over Meyan at their U18 trials in Nairobi last month, 5:28.52 to 5:30.04.
Little is known about their rivals from Ethiopia, though given the vest they’ll be donning we can rest assured that Alemu Kitessa Muleta and Girma Diriba Kejela will mount a strong challenge to the Kenyans.
Of the others, South Africa’s Robert De Villiers is the quickest to date, with a 5:48.06 clocking to his name, while Moroccan duo Ayoub Basraoui and Hamza Sekhmani have both run 5:52 this year and should be in the hunt for the minor medals.
Cathal Dennehy for the IAAF
