EUGENE, Oregon, June 2- Kenyan served up a treat in the third leg of the IAAF Diamond League in Prefontaine with Olympic champion, Ezekiel Kemboi being disqualified, Edwin Soi out-kicking double London champion, Mo Farah as Silas Kiplagat stole victory from bitter rival, Asbel Kiprop over the weekend.
Beijing Olympic bronze medallist Edwin Soi kicked home and pulled away over the final 200m from double Olympic champ Mo Farah to win the men’s 5000 at the 2013 Prefontaine Classic in 13:04.75 as Farah ended up second in 13:05.88 – his first loss outdoors on a track since 2011.
Top American honours went to 38-year old Bernard Lagat who was fifth in 13:07.76. Oregon’s beloved native Galen Rupp, Farah’s training partner and the Olympic 10,000 silver medallist, rallied from 9th to sixth over the final 200, passing fellow Americans Chris Derrick (7th in a 13:09.04 pb) and Dathan Ritzenhein (9th 13:09.53) in the process to grab top American-born honors, in a race where a huge pack of 11 or 12 guys were still in it at the bell.
Despite season opening wins in Doha and Shanghai at 1500m 2008 Olympic and 2011 World Champ Asbel Kiprop into the men’s Bowerman Mile with a point to prove.
He wanted to win, run his career best, beat 2012 Olympic champ Taouik Makhloufi and in the process prove he’s the best on the planet when healthy and not injured like he was in London last year.
Halfway down the homestretch, Kiprop seemed well on his way to accomplishing all of those goals, say for the PR, as he had accelerated away from Ethiopian Aman Wote at the start of the homestretch and was poised for an unprecedented fourth Bowerman title.
And then suddenly, seemingly out of nowhere, Kiprop’s rival in chief, World silver medallist Silas Kiplagat, who had struggled in both Shanghai and Doha, came from behind and nipped Kiprop right before the line.
In a field full of super fast milers that in many ways was stronger than an Olympic final, Kiplagat ended up the best in 3:49.48 to Kiprop’s 3:49.53. The Olympic champ Makhloufi was never a factor and finished only 11th.
The 2013 Prefontaine Classic men’s steeplechase had everybody. All three 2012 Olympic medallists in Ezekiel Kemboi, Mahledine Benabbad Mekhissi and Abel Mutai as well as 2012 Word Junior champion Conseslus Kipruto, 7:54 man Paul Koech, and American record holder Evan Jager.
Kipruto proved that he’s just as good as anyone as he got his second Diamond League win of the season (he also won in Shanghai in 8:01) with a 8:03.59 meet record, but only after some controversy and a really exciting finish.
With 250 meters to go, Kemboi looked like the same Kemboi who made a mockery of world’s best over the final 200 at the 2011 World and 2012 Olympics as he went to the lead and started the push for home. He really accelerated coming off the final water jump and it seemed as if victory was soon to be his as he’d gapped his challengers.
But perhaps since it was his first steeple of the year, Kemboi may have misjudged things as suddenly he seemed vulnerable. His five plus meter lead appeared in danger when he looked over his shoulder just before the final barrier.
It was a thrilling final 100m as Kipruto fought hard to come back and pass Kemboi. Kemboi was a sitting duck out in lane two and he seemingly knew it as he veered back into lane one to try to cut Kipruto off and when that didn’t work he basically gave Kipruto a shove just meters before the finish line.
Kipruto went inside of lane one, but soon recovered and came back into lane one and crossed the finish line first in 8:03.59.
After the shove, it was almost as if Kemboi knew he’d done something wrong as he seemingly just jogged across the line in second in 8:03.94, although he waved his finger at Kipruto acting like Kipruto was the one who had done something wrong.
Kemboi’s second place finish didn’t last long as he soon was disqualified for a clear foul.
With Kemboi a DQ, the next 3 official finishers were Koech (2nd – 8:05.86), Mekhissii Benabbbad (3rd – 8:06.60) and
Evan Jager (5th – 8:08.60). Olympic bronze medalist Mutai was 7th (8:10.04).
-Compiled from LetsRun.com re-cap
