AFRICAN WRAP: Chebet shines as Kenya’s Olympic team takes shape

Beatrice Chebet’s sensational 10 000m world record provided the highlight of the athletics weekend as Diamond League action moved to Eugene, Oregon in the USA.

We take a look at that and some of the other impressive African performances as athletes look to lay down markers in the build-up to the Paris Olympics…

CHEBET TAKES CHARGE – WOMEN’S 10 000M

Athletics Kenya used the Eugene Diamond League meet as their Olympic trials for the 10 000m with the top two Kenyans in the men’s and women’s events earning automatic qualification for Paris. Beatrice Chebet made absolutely sure of her spot on the team by obliterating the world record on her way to victory.

Competing in only her second ever 10 000m and first outside of Kenya, the two-time world cross country champion timed her race to perfection. She stuck with Ethiopia’s 5000m world record holder Gudaf Tsegay, who had made her intentions to set a new world record in the longer event clear before the start, but then broke away with three laps to go.

A 63.63-second final 400m saw Chebet becoming the first woman to dip under 29 minutes on the track, setting the new world record at 28:54.14 – seven seconds quicker than the time set by Ethiopian Letesenbet Gidey in 2021. In doing so, Chebet became the first Kenyan woman to hold the 10 000m world record.

Tsegay finished second in the third fastest in history – 29: 05.92 – with Kenya’s Lilian Kasait Rengeruk third in 29:26.89 to also book her spot on her country’s Olympic team. Further down the pack Sarah Chelangat set a new national record for Uganda, finishing ninth in 30:24.04.

RECORD RUN FOR CHEMUTAI – WOMEN’S 3 000M STEEPLECHASE

There was another Ugandan record in the women’s 3 000m steeplechase as Olympic champion Peruth Chemutai stormed to victory in a world lead of 8:55.09. Kenyan Beatrice Chepkoech, who had set the previous world lead, was second in 8:56.51 with compatriot Faith Cherotich well back in third in 9:04.45.

OLYMPIC SPOTS SECURED – MEN’S 10 000M

With the Kenyan contingent looking to book their tickets to Paris, the men’s 10 000m was packed with East African talent. After 25 laps, the race came down to a dramatic sprint for the finish. It was Daniel Mateiko who dipped ahead on the line, taking the win in a world lead time of 26:50.81 with Nicholas Kipkorir producing a personal best of 26:50.94 for second spot. Bernard Kibet also ran a lifetime best of 26:51.09 to secure third spot while there was disappointment for World Championships silver medallist Daniel Ebenyo who fell and could only manage eighth place in a time of 27:24.33. He’ll now be at the mercy of Athletics Kenya, who will decide which athlete will fill the third spot available for the event on the team to Paris.

WETEJI THE WINNER – WOMEN’S 1 500M

The top three athletes in the women’s 1500m all achieved lifetime bests with Ethiopia’s Diribe Weteji leading the way. She broke away with 300m to go and held on for victory in a time of 3:53.75. Australian Jess Hull was second in a new Oceania record of 3:55.97 with American Elle St Pierre third in 3:56.00.

ETHIOPIANS EXCEL – WOMEN’S 5 000M

Ethiopians dominated the women’s 5 000m with the top six places all going to the East African nation. Tsigie Gebreselama set a world lead with a personal best time of 14:18.76 after a thrilling sprint to the line with Ejgayehu Taye who settled for second in 14:18.92. Freweyni Hailu was third in 14:20.61 and there was a world junior record for compatriot Haylom Birke who finished fifth in 14:23.71.

OMANYALA SETTLES FOR SILVER – MEN’S 100M

The men’s 100m featured a showdown between the USA’s world indoor champion Christian Coleman and African record holder Ferdinand Omanyala. The Kenyan came off second best on this occasion with both men dipping under 10 seconds. Coleman took the win in 9.95 with Omanyala second in 9.98 – meaning the fastest time in the world this year still belongs to South Africa’s Akani Simbine (9.90). Ghana’s Benjamin Azamati was seventh in Eugene in a season’s best 10.21 seconds.

NIGERIAN RECORD FOR ENEKWECHI – MEN’S SHOT PUT

The men’s shot put competition produced several impressive results with the top five all throwing over the 21m mark. Nigerian Chukwuebuka Enekwechi’s second-round effort of 21.91m not only secured him third spot behind Joe Kovaks who heaved a world lead of 23.13m for the win and fellow American Payton Otterdahl (22.16m), but was also a new national record.

RARE DEFEAT FOR MORAA – WOMEN’S 800M

There was a rare defeat for Mary Moraa in the women’s 800m. The Kenyan world champion took to the front but couldn’t keep up when Britain’s Keely Hodgkinson kicked with 150m to go, blazing down the home straight to take the win in 1:55.78 to eclipse South African Purdence Sekgodiso’s world lead from a week earlier. Moraa was second in 1:56.71.