Faith Kipyegon hunts third Diamond league trophy as Cheruiyot, Korir brace for title defense

Kenya’s two-time world and Olympic champion Faith Kipyegon is looking to cap an undefeated season at 1500m and a win a third Diamond League Trophy when she lines up in a star-studded field in Zurich on Thursday night.

After clinching the 2017 and 2021 titles, Kipyegon, who has only raced once since the World Championships held in Oregon - in a world record attempt in Monaco where she only fell short by only 0.3 seconds – will be looking to fend off strong challenge in her title defense.

The 28-year-old heads into the race as the favourite but World 5000m champion Gudaf Tsegay, Olympic silver medallist Laura Muir, Brussels Diamond League winner Ciara Mageean and Ethiopian duo of Diribe Welteji and Freweyni Hailu will certainly be out to upset the apple cart.

In the men’s 1500m, Timothy Cheruiyot’s title defense will come under a tough test as he renews his rivalry with Norwegian sensation Jakob Ingebrigsten who has the Diamond Trophy as one of the few things missing in his cabinet.

Ingebrigtsen celebrates his Bowerman mile win in Eugene (© Diamond League AG)

Cheruiyot has dominated in recent years, winning four trophies between 2017 and 2021, but Ingebrigsten has had the form and consistency this season, winning at the Diamond League meetings in Eugene, Oslo and Lausanne, the latter with a world-leading 3:29.05.

Looking to join the party will be compatriot Abel Kipsang, the world indoor bronze medalist, Commonwealth champion Oliver Hoare, in-form Australian Stewart McSweyn and Olympic bronze medallist Josh Kerr.

In the men’s 800m, Olympic and World champion Emmanuel Korir will face stiff competition from World 1,500m champion Jake Wightman of Britain, fellow Kenyan Wycliffe Kinyamal, who is the Commonwealth Games 800m champion and world bronze medalist Marco Arop of Canada in the fight to defend his crown.

Wightman has been in fine form on the Diamond League circuit, winning the 1000m in Monaco in a PB of 2:13.88 and the 800m in Brussels in another PB, 1:43.65, and beating Korir in the process.

In the women’s 800m, the fast-rising Mary Moraa, the world bronze medalist, will be hoping for a maiden Diamond trophy when she renews rivalry with Britain’s defending champion Keely Hodgkinson.

After finishing third in Oregon, where Hodgkinson came second, Moraa struck Gold at the Commonwealth Games ahead of home favourite Hodgkinson and Scotalnd’s Laura Muir.

Hodgkinson will be looking to settle the score but Moraa won’t be easy to beat especially after reducing her 400m PB to 50.67.

Jamaica’s Natoya Goule and France’s Renelle Lamote, the winners in Monaco and Lausanne respectively, are also entered, as is 2019 world champion Halimah Nakaayi.

Moraa dares to dream of Diamond League title in Zurich

In the men’s 3000m steeplechase, Kenyan quartet of Abraham Kibiwot, who is the Commonwealth champion, Leonard Bett, Amos Serem and Lawrence Kemboi will face an arduous task in facing Moroccan favourite Sofiane El Bakkali chasing a maiden Diamond Trophy.

The Olympic champion has won all of his races on the Diamond League circuit this year.

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In the women’s side, 18-year-old Jackine Chepkoech will lead Faith Cherotich in the hunt for the trophy.

The in form Chepkoech missed out on making the World Championships final, but rebounded well to win the Commonwealth title in 9:15.68, a PB which she then reduced to 9:09.72 in Monaco five days later.

More recently, the 2021 world U20 champion smashed her PB when winning in Brussels with 9:02.43, making her the second-fastest U20 athlete in history for the steeplechase.

Jackline Chepkoech wins the 3000m steeplechase at the Brussels DL (© AFP / Getty Images

World silver medallist Werkuha Getachew finished second in Brussels and will be out for revenge. World bronze medallist Mekides Abebe and Paris Diamond League winner Winfred Yavi are the other women in the field to have broken nine minutes this year, so will most likely be Chepkoech’s toughest opponents.