NAIROBI, Kenya, June 10- Olympics 5000m bronze medallist, Thomas Longosiwa and World Indoor titleholder, Helen Obiri prevailed in their races during the annual star-studded Mohammed VI International Meeting in Rabat, Morocco.
Fishing form from somewhere, Longosiwa topped the podium in a season’s best of 13:03.58, sprinting clear of Bahrain’s Aweke Ayalew (13:05.00) and home runner, Aziz Lahbabi (13:09.45) who rounded the top three as countryman Albert Rop (13:09.84) closed in fourth.
It was Longosiwa’s first victory of the season over 12 and a half laps having finished fourth (13:07.55) and 11th (13:33.97) and the Diamond League meetings of Oregon (June 1) and Rome (June 6).
Fresh from winning in Pre Fontaine where she clocked her 3:58.58 career best in 1500m, Obiri once again proved her mettle by turning on the afterburners on the home-straight to win in 4:03.55.
Compatriot Mary Kuria, a relative newcomer to the international circuit, edged out the close battle for second from Albania’s Luiza Gega in 4:05.40 against 4:05.79 as Daegu Worlds competitor; Eunice Sum finished just outside the podium a little further back in 4:06.66.
Elsewhere, the Kenyan brigade at the meeting failed to live up to billing particularly in both steeplechase races where the country’s exponents were forced down the order.
Ethiopia’s Hiwot Ayalew (9:18.72) came out on top in a tight finish against Lydia Chepkurui (9:18.77), who won the Doha and Pre Fontaine Diamond League races before finishing second in Rome.
Diro Etenesh (9:22.87) led the challengers home in a clear third as World junior titleholder, Purity Cherotich (9:25.72) placed fourth.
In the corresponding men’s race, an unusual finishing order was witnessed with no Kenyan on the podium as Yoann Kowal (8:12.53/France), Hamid Ezzine (8:13.27/Morocco) and Roba Gary (8:14.39/Ethiopia) occupied the medal places.
Algeria’s Abdelmadjed Touil (8:15.93) was fourth with two-time World junior champion and first Kenyan across the line, Jonathan Muia (8:18.78) relegated to fifth.
London Olympics semi-finalist, Anthony Chemut (1:45.48) led two of his compatriots, Edwin Kiplagat (1:45.88) and Jeremiah Kipkorir (1:46.69) across but not for the podium sweep since they occupied positions three to five in the men’s 800m race.
In the absence of the injured Olympics champion and record holder David Rudisha, Ethiopia’s Mohammed Aman closed in on his second win on the bounce by running 1:44.37 to edge out American runner, Duane Solomon (1:44.91) in the battle for honours.
Former sprinter, Lydia Wafula, who is still cutting her teeth in the two-lap event finished sixth (2:02.54) in the women’s race won by Russia’s Ekaterina Poistogova (1:59.80).
Collins Cheboi (3:35.45) was the top Kenyan in the men’s 1500m race where local favourite, Fouad Elkaam (3:34.68) and Germany’s Carsten Schlangen (3:35.07) claimed the top-two places.
SELECT RESULTS
Men
100 Metres – Men Wind: +2.9 m/s
1 Lemaitre , Christophe FRA 9.98
2 Gatlin , Justin USA 10.02
3 Collins , Kim SKN 10.10
4 Ouhadi , Aziz MAR 10.19
5 Hyman , Kemar CAY 10.22
6 Hinds , Andrew BAR 10.26
7 Egwero , Ogho-Oghene NGR 10.29
8 Zghali , Abdelghani MAR 10.60
200 Metres – Men Wind: +3.1 m/s
1 Ouhadi , Aziz MAR 20.59
2 Lehata , Mosito LES 20.63
3 Borlée , Jonathan BEL 20.64
4 Zalewski , Karol POL 20.86
5 Ngwigwa , Obakeng BOT 21.10
6 Borlée , Kévin BEL 21.13
7 Seoud , Amr Ibrahim Mostafa EGY 21.13
8 Menga , Aleixo-Platini GER 21.55
400 Metres – Men
1 Merritt , LaShawn USA 45.22
2 Mance , Joshua USA 45.65
3 Levine , Nigel GBR 45.86
4 Rooney , Martyn GBR 46.00
5 Wariner , Jeremy USA 46.06
6 Nixon , Greg USA 46.14
7 Taylor , Angelo USA 47.72
8 Ghezlane , Mustapha MAR 48.81
800 Metres – Men
1 Aman , Mohammed ETH 1:44.37
2 Solomon , Duane USA 1:44.91
3 Chemut , Anthony KEN 1:45.48
4 Melly , Edwin Kiplagat KEN 1:45.88
5 Mutai , Jeremiah Kipkorir KEN 1:46.69
6 Jamaa , Samir MAR 1:46.88
7 Benhanbel , Nadir MAR 1:46.97
8 Warburton , Gareth GBR 1:47.58
9 Poistogov , Stepan RUS 1:49.25
El Manaoui , Amine MAR DNF
El-Maadadi , Marouane MAR DNF
Kipkorir , Evans KEN DNF
1500 Metres – Men
1 Elkaam , Fouad MAR 3:34.68
2 Schlangen , Carsten GER 3:35.07
3 Cheboi , Collins KEN 3:35.45
4 Wote , Aman ETH 3:35.68
5 Komen , Daniel Kipchirchir KEN 3:35.97
5 Hannes , Pieter-Jan BEL 3:35.97
7 Bensghir , Yassine MAR 3:36.11
8 Moustaoui , Mohamed MAR 3:36.56
9 Mazouzi , Zakaria MAR 3:37.40
10 Tiouali , Mohammed Ayoub MAR 3:38.13
11 Mainy , Ahmed MAR 3:38.62
12 Rassioui , Badr MAR 3:38.71
13 Ruiz , Diego ESP 3:39.14
14 Mikhou , Sadik MAR 3:40.18
15 Labäli , Abdelhadi MAR 3:41.79
16 Ngetich , Hillary Cheruiyot KEN 3:42.56
Kiptoo , Eliah KEN DNF
Kombich , Ismael Kipngetich KEN DNF
5000 Metres – Men
1 Longosiwa , Thomas Pkemei KEN 13:03.58
2 Ayalew , Aweke BRN 13:05.00
3 Lahbabi , Aziz MAR 13:09.45
4 Rop , Albert KEN 13:09.84
5 El Goumri , Othmane MAR 13:13.72
6 Kangogo , Cornelius Kipruto KEN 13:15.26
7 Essalhi , Younés MAR 13:16.07
8 Bekele , Alemu BRN 13:18.00
9 Kipkoech , Josphat Bett KEN 13:19.46
10 Bouqantar , Soufiyan MAR 13:20.98
11 Aboud , Rabah ALG 13:24.08
12 Nebebew , Birhan ETH 13:29.03
13 Toroitich , Timothy UGA 13:32.21
14 Hitrane , Jamal MAR 13:35.20
15 Mandour , Yassine FRA 13:39.86
16 Meftahelkhair , Mohammed MAR 13:44.00
Kibet , Elkanah KEN DNF
Kiplimo , Joseph Kitur KEN DNF
Fathi , Abdennacer MAR DNF
Abid , Mohammed MAR DNF
3000 Metres Steeplechase – Men
1 Kowal , Yoann FRA 8:12.53
2 Ezzine , Hamid MAR 8:13.27
3 Gari , Roba ETH 8:14.39
4 Touil , Abdelmadjed ALG 8:15.93
5 Ndiku , Jonathan Muia KEN 8:18.78
6 Chemlal , Jaouad MAR 8:19.22
7 Kipterege , Elijah Chelimo KEN 8:22.51
8 Boulama , Mohammed MAR 8:23.09
9 Zalewski , Krystian POL 8:23.31
10 Zaghou , Mounatcer MAR 8:23.84
11 Fayisa , Habtamu ETH 8:24.90
12 Bouchicha , Hicham ALG 8:25.29
13 Chatbi , Jamel MAR 8:25.37
14 Kitum , Silas Kosgei KEN 8:30.50
15 Araptany , Jacob UGA 8:32.11
16 Komen , Willy Rutto KEN 8:32.59
Sigueni , Hicham MAR DNF
Taleb , Brahim MAR DNF
Ramolefi , Ruben RSA DNF
Women
100 Metres – Women Wind: +1.3 m/s
1 Stewart , Kerron JAM 11.24
2 Zang Milama , Ruddy GAB 11.29
3 Bowie , Tori USA 11.31
4 Sailer , Verena GER 11.33
5 Lawson , LaKeisha USA 11.38
6 Williams , Lauryn USA 11.39
7 Philip , Asha GBR 11.50
8 Hjaji , Yamina MAR 12.26
800 Metres – Women
1 Poistogova , Ekaterina RUS 1:59.80
2 Hilali , Siham MAR 2:00.20
3 Kupina , Yekaterina RUS 2:00.45
4 Lupu , Nataliia UKR 2:01.54
5 Lyakhova , Olha UKR 2:01.63
6 Wafula , Lydia Nasimiyu KEN 2:02.54
7 Melese , Mantegbosh ETH 2:03.17
8 Maracheva , Irina RUS 2:04.28
9 El Bahraoui , Manal MAR 2:05.57
10 El Moussaoui , Khadija MAR 2:06.20
Abaakil , Malika MAR DNF
1500 Metres – Women
1 Obiri , Hellen Onsando KEN 4:03.55
2 Kuria , Mary KEN 4:05.40
3 Gega , Luiza ALB 4:05.79
4 Sum , Eunice Jepkoech KEN 4:06.66
5 Hachlaf , Halima MAR 4:06.69
6 Lakhouad , Btissam MAR 4:07.97
7 Feyne , Gudeto ETH 4:08.76
8 Arafi , Rababe MAR 4:09.19
9 Gashaw , Tigist ETH 4:10.37
10 El Otmani , Sanae MAR 4:10.92
11 Akkaoui , Malika MAR 4:11.37
12 Ait Elbatoul , Ibtissam MAR 4:14.92
Tverdostup , Tamara UKR DNF
3000 Metres Steeplechase – Women
1 Ayalew , Hiwot ETH 9:18.72
2 Chepkurui , Lydia KEN 9:18.77
3 Diro , Etenesh ETH 9:22.87
4 Kirui , Purity Cherotich KEN 9:25.72
5 Galkina , Gulnara RUS 9:30.72
6 Kaltoum , Bouaasayriya MAR 9:33.94
7 El Ouali Alami , Salima MAR 9:37.48
8 Bekele , Mekdes ETH 9:41.51
9 Bettiche , Amina ALG 9:45.65
10 Sidi Madane , Fadwa MAR 9:51.50
11 Shmidt , Svitlana UKR 9:53.95
12 Kowalska , Katarzyna POL 9:59.60
13 Jepkosgei , Veronicah KEN 10:13.82
Nyambura , Virginia KEN DNF
Izmodenova , Natalya RUS DNF
400 Metres Hurdles – Women
1 Morosanu , Angela ROU 54.37
2 Titimets , Hanna UKR 56.02
3 Odumosu , Muizat Ajoke NGR 56.08
4 Dauwens , Axelle BEL 56.84
5 Lambarki , Hayat MAR 56.92
6 Barr , Jessie IRL 56.93
7 Lhabze , Lamiae MAR 57.61
8 Anacharsis , Phara FRA 57.84
