Olympic champions Faith Kipyegon and Beatrice Chebet broke meeting records on the track at the Allianz Memorial van Damme at the Wanda Diamond League Final in Brussels on Saturday (14).
In winning the 1500m, Kipyegon secured her fifth Diamond trophy and capped yet another unbeaten season at her specialist discipline.
On this occasion, the Kenyan was more focused on winning than on improving her own world record.
She had world road mile champion Diribe Welteji for company on the final lap, but sprinted away down the home straight to win in 3:54.75, taking 0.58 off a meeting record that had stood since 2003.
Welteji was second in 3:55.25, finishing comfortably ahead of Olympic silver medallist Jessica Hull.
“My goal was to finish my Diamond season in a good way and I did,” said Kipyegon. “It was a good race, but definitely not an easy one. I started my season very late because of a small problem but now I feel strong.”
Beatrice Chebet win 5000m title
Chebet, who had beaten Kipyegon to the Olympic 5000m title, was a clear winner of the 5000m here in Brussels and produced one of the fastest times in history to smash the meeting record by nine seconds.
She led through 2000m in 5:41.27 and 3000m in 8:31.09. By the time she reached 4000m, she had a three-second lead over Ethiopia’s Medina Eisa.
That margin continued to grow in the closing stages and she crossed the line victorious in 14:09.82.
Eisa held on for second, clocking a world U20 record of 14:21.89 to finish ahead of compatriot Fotyen Tesfaye (14:28.53).
Emmanuel Wanyonyi takes 800m title
Elsewhere Olympic championEmmanuel Wanyonyi came from behind to take the men’s 800m, but Tebogo was forced to settle for the runner-up spot in the men’s 200m.
Given the incredible standard of the event this year, there had been talk of a potential world record in the men’s 800m. The initial pace was quick, too, as Marco Arop covered the first lap in 49.28.
The world champion started to fade with 150 metres to go, though, as Algeria’s Djamel Sedjati started to challenge for the lead. Wanyonyi timed his finish best, though, with the Kenyan overtaking his tiring opponents just before the line to win in 1:42.70. Sedjati was second in 1:42.86 and Arop third (1:43.25).
