NAIROBI, Kenya, Aug 9 – World champion Timothy Cheruiyot will renew his rivalry with the Ingebrightsen brothers Filip and Jacob after organisers of the season opening Monaco Diamond League confirmed the trio for the meet scheduled for August 14 in the French principality.
Cheruiyot will be seeking revenge following his defeat in the virtual race dabbed the ‘Impossible Games’ which took place early June.
During the race that was held concurrently in the Nairobi and Olso cities, the youngest off the Ingebrightsen’s brother Jacob emerged victorious clocking a time of 4: 50.01 in the specialized 2000m race while Cheruiyot under tough weather conditions and a high altitude crossed the finishing line in a time of 5:03.05.
In another race 5000m double World Champion Hellen Obiri who has also been confirmed for the Monaco leg will lead a star-studded field in the women’s 5000m race.
She will be joined by fellow Kenyans Beatrice Chepkoech the 3000m steeplechase Olympic Champion and 1500m Africa champion Winnie Chebet.
The three will face competition from 10,000m world champion Sifan Hassan of the Netherlands and Germany’s Konstanze Klosterhalfen who bagged bronze in the Doha World athletics championships last year.
Faith Chepngetich the reigning 1500 Olympic champion and world silver medalist will take part in a less familiar race, the women’s 1000m. The race will also include the Ugandan duo of Halimah Nakaayi the 800m World Champion and Winnie Nyanyondo as well as Great Britain’s Laura Muir.
The Men’s 5000m race will also be one to watch out for as once again World Champion Joshua Cheptegei and silver medalist Yomif Kejelcha battle it out on the track. The other of the Ingebrightsen’s brothers Henry is also featuring in the starting lineup.
The Kenyan contingent underwent COVID-19 tests on Friday as part of the protocol to enable them travel to the French principality.
Unfortunately Olympic Champion and steeplechase maestro Conseslus Kipruto will not be part of the travelling party after testing positive for the deadly coronavirus disease.
