Kenyan athletes turn focus to Paris after a disappointing show in Lausanne

Kenyan athletes will be eyeing redemption when they line up for the Paris leg of the Diamond League set for Saturday after a rather sour outing in Lausanne leg held on Thursday at the Stade Olympique De La Pontaise.

Hopes were heavily stashed on the Olympics medalists duo of Emmanuel Korir and Ferguson Rotich to claim the 800m race but it ended in favour of Marco Arop of Canada who clocked 1:44.50 ahead of Korir who came in second in 1:44.62.

Rotich finished third in 1:45.48 while the 2016 Olympics bronze medalist Clayton Murphy of the United States of America faded to fifth place finish timing 1:45.77. Another Kenyan Cornelius Tuwei finished seventh in 1:46.53. The 2019 World silver medalist Amel Tuka of Bosnia who was also a favorite to clinch the race was the sixth athlete to cross the line in 1:45.98.

In the men’s 3000m race 1500m Olympic champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen demonstrated his class again after cruising to victory in a season best of 7:33.06 while under pressure from Aregawi Berihu of Ethiopia who ran a personal best of 7:33.39 to finish second. McSweyin Stewart of Australia was third after timing 7:35.06.

The three locked the five Kenyan athletes from a podium finish as Jacob Krop was seventh in 7:41.50 while Abel Kipsang who specializes in 1500m was eighth in a personal best of 7:42.21. Nicholas Kimeli finished a disappointing eleventh in 7:43.71 ahead of Bethwel Birgen who timed 7:54.27. Vincent Kibet did not finish race so was Winny Chebet in the women’s 1500m which was won by Gebreezibeher Freweyni of Ethiopia in 4:02.24.Hall Linden and Norris Josette of Australia and the United States finished second and third respectively.

Eglay Nafuna was fourth in the women’s 800m won by Baker Ellie of England. The little known Nafuna clocked 2:01.26. Hofmann Lore of Switzerland was second while Haynne Hedda of Norway was third.