ADDIS ABABA – The highly regarded Almaz Ayana and Genzebe Dibaba fail to make history winning the 3, 000 meters at the IAAF Diamond League meeting in Stanford on Sunday. Instead Letesenbet Gidey finished third in an Ethiopian record of 8:20.27.
According to reports from the spot the field included world 1500m record-holder Genzebe Dibaba, world 5000m champion Hellen Obiri, Olympic 10,000m champion Almaz Ayana and European 5000m champion Sifan Hassan, among others.
Almaz was ultimately never a factor but the other big contenders were all still in the lead pack as they approached the final kilometer. Ethiopia’s Letesenbet Gidey made an early break and led from Dibaba with 800m.
With 600m left, Genzebe started to fall behind, while Hassan and Klosterhalfen were gaining. Hassan passed Letesenebet with 250 metres left as Genzebe was now contending with Klosterhalfen. Hassan pulled away down the homestretch and went on to win in 8:18.49 – the fastest time in the world since 1993 and a three-second improvement on the European record.Klosterhalfen passed Genzebe and then Letesenebet to take second place in 8:20.07. Letesenebet finished third in an Ethiopian record of 8:20.27 while Genzebe Dibaba was fourth (8:21.29).
In an exciting three-way finish, world cross-country champion Joshua Cheptegei held on to take victory in the men’s two miles.
The tightly bunched pack was led by a pacemaker through 880 yards in 2:03.4 and the first mile in 4:04.9. After the pacemaker stepped off, Selemon Barega, Cheptegei and Paul Chelimo were left to fight it out.
Cheptegei passed Selemon and for a moment it looked as though Chelimo’s momentum would take him across the line first, but the Ugandan held on to take a narrow 8:07.54 victory over Chelimo, whose 28.63 last 200m left him .05 short. Selemon faded to third in 8:08.69.
The Ethiopian Herald May 24/2019
BY SOLOMON BEKELE
