By Athletics Kenya Media Team
Quadruple world 1,500m champion Faith Kipyegon and reigning world and Olympic 800m champion Emmanuel Wanyonyi will spearhead Kenya’s star-studded team at Friday’s Monaco Diamond League meeting.
Kipyegon will line up in the women’s 3,000m, her third Diamond League appearance of the season, as she looks to bounce back from a rare defeat at the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene.
At the iconic Hayward Field, Kipyegon finished third in the women’s Mile in 4:17.80, ending an unbeaten streak over the distance that had stretched back to her debut in 2015. American Nikki Hiltz claimed victory in 4:17.49, while Kenya’s world 1,500m silver medallist Dorcus Ewoi placed second in 4:17.62.
Faith Kipyegon’s 2026 Diamond League performance
Kipyegon began her Diamond League campaign with victory in the 5,000m in Shanghai on May 16, clocking 14:24.14 to beat Ethiopia’s Likina Amebaw (14:24.21) and Senayet Getachew (14:24.71). Earlier in the season, the three-time Olympic 1,500m champion opened her 2026 campaign by winning the Monaco Run 10km in 29:47.
Monaco also holds special memories for Kipyegon. It was at the venue in 2023 where she shattered the women’s Mile world record, running 4:07.64 to become the first woman to break the 4:11 barrier. She will also be chasing a statement run over 3,000m after narrowly missing the long-standing world record last season. Kipyegon clocked 8:07.04 at the Silesia Diamond League, the second-fastest time in history, finishing just 0.93 seconds outside Wang Junxia’s world record of 8:06.11 set in 1993.
Joining Kipyegon in the race is reigning world cross-country champion Agnes Ng’etich, who arrives in impressive form after back-to-back 10km road victories in New York (30:07) and Lille (28:58). Her personal best over 3,000m stands at 8:23.14, set at the Miami Grand Slam Track meeting in May 2025.
The Kenyan duo will face stiff opposition from reigning World Indoor 3,000m champion Nadia Battocletti and Ethiopia’s Senayet Getachew.
Which race will Emanuel Wanyonyi run at the Monaco Diamond League meeting
Meanwhile, Wanyonyi will step away from his 800m speciality to make his debut over 1,000m. The 21-year-old faces a quality field led by Algeria’s Djamel Sedjati, alongside Spain’s Mohamed Attaoui, France’s Azeddine Habz, American Bryce Hoppel and Britain’s Jake Wightman.
In the men’s 3,000m steeplechase, world bronze medallist Edmund Serem will lead Kenya’s challenge after finishing third in Paris in 8:08.54 and second in Stockholm in 8:12.27. He will be joined by his elder brother Amos Serem, Simon Koech, Leonard Bett and Cornelius Korir as they seek podium places against a field featuring reigning world champion Geordie Beamish and Olympic champion Soufiane El Bakkali.
Elsewhere, 2022 world 5,000m silver medallist Jacob Krop and Cornelius Kemboi will represent Kenya in the men’s 5,000m as the country looks to continue its strong tradition at the Monaco Diamond League.
