Genzebe Dibaba, winner of the 3000m at the IAAF Continental Cup, Marrakech 2014 (© Getty Images)
After setting a pair of scintillating world indoor records earlier in the year, much was expected of Genzebe Dibaba outdoors in 2014. With mixed results over the course of the summer, the 23-year-old didn’t quite live up to those lofty expectations which will likely make her confident runaway victory in the 3000m here a personal highlight of her outdoor season.
Sitting back comfortably, if a bit impatiently, for the first five laps of a tactical race, Dibaba took the lead with exactly two laps to go and held it firmly en route to her 8:57.53 victory – her first over the distance outdoors this year.
“I expected to win and defend African colours,” said Dibaba, the fourth consecutive African winner of this title, “but the race was too slow for me. I don’t feel comfortable using such tactics, so that’s why I couldn’t wait for the last lap to make my final kick, and instead started to push 800 metres before the finish.”
When she upped the pace set off on her own, only European 5000m champion Meraf Bahta decided to tag along in pursuit, but the Swede never really proved much of a threat to Dibaba who went on to become the first in her famed running family to win a world or continental cup title.
Bahta reached the line a second later in 8:58.48 ahead of Europe team-mate Susan Kuijken who held off Kenyan Janet Kisa to secure 13 points for Europe, equal to the African squad’s tally in the event.
Bob Ramsak for the IAAF
