Dazzling Chebet, Kimeli bag Ksh 3.6 million each after maiden Diamond League triumph

Kenya’s 5000m athletes Beatrice Chebet and Nicholas Kipkorir Kimeli produced dazzling victorious performances on Wednesday evening in the finale of the 2022 Diamond League to walk home with a whooping 3.6 million shillings following their maiden trophy wins.

On her way to clinching the title in the event held in Zurich, Switzerland, Chebet, who is the Commonwealth champion and World Silver medalist over the distance, caused a massive upset to the star-studded field that included World champion Gudaf Tsegay from Ethiopia and Kenyan compatriot Margaret Chelimo who is the world 10,000m bronze medalist.

The 22-year-old Chebet, who avenged for finishing second behind Tsegay in Oregon, couldn’t be challenged as she surged ahead down the home straight of the temporary track, holding off Kipkemboi, Tsegay and Ethiopia’s world 5km record-holder Ejgayehu Taye as Kenya finished first and second.

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The lead group had followed the pacemaker through the first 1000m in 2:50.35 before Tsegay led through 2000m in 5:47.08. The world 5000m champion and Chebet attempted to break away a kilometre later but they couldn’t shake off Taye, Kipkemboi, double Olympic champion Sifan Hassan of the Netherlands and USA’s Alicia Monson.

Monson took a turn at the front and led through 4000m in 11:46.97 before the eventual lead quartet made a break in an exciting sprint for the finish. Kipkemboi followed her compatriot over the line in 14:31.52, Tsegay was third in 14:32.11 and Taye fourth in 14:32.15. Hassan finished fifth and Monson sixth.

In the men’s race, Commonwealth Games 5,000m silver medalist Kimeli clocked 12:59.05 for his maiden trophy after timing his finishing kick to perfection, edging ahead in the closing stages to win the race just 0.35s ahead of South Sudan’s refugee athlete Dominic Lokinyomo Lobalu, with USA’s Grant Fisher finishing third in 13:00.56.

The pacemaker took the leaders through 1000m in 2:35.15 and 2000m in 5:11.35. Ethiopia’s Selemon Barega then took over at the front to lead through 3000m in 7:46.14, before Ethiopia’s defending champion and world 5km record-holder Berihu Aregawi moved to the fore, going through 4000m in 10:23.11.

But Aregawi, who faded to fifth couldn’t hold on and as the pace dipped and Kipkorir, Lobalu and Fisher strode away. Kenya’s Brussels winner Jacob Krop was left disappointed in the race as he failed to finish alongside Burundi’s Monaco victor Thierry Ndikumwenayo and Ethiopia’s 2019 world 10,000m silver medallist Yomif Kejelcha.

With the wins, Chebet and Kimeli have secured their spot to the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest.