London DL: Magnificent Chepkoech triumphs as Chebet is outdone by Tsegay

Commonwealth 3000m Steeplechase champion Jackline Chepekoech needed to show her patience early on, and when the right moment came, she took off, shattering the 3000m steeplechase world lead time in a brilliant 8:57.36 win at Sunday afternoon’s London Diamond League.

The win for the youngster, also broke Ethiopia’s Almayew Sembo’s 9:00.71 meeting record time set in June 2023, and marked her personal best time - eclipsing her initial time of 9:02.43.

World record holder over the distance - Beatrice Chebet - after leading most of the opening laps of the race before she was overtook with 800m to go- came in second clocking a season best time of 9:04.34, with Great Britain’s Pratt Aimee hitting 9:16.10 - a season best.

World 5000m champion Gudaf Tsegay extended her unbeaten run this season and this year as she outpaced the Olympic champion over the distance Sifan Hassan, and Kenyan World Cross country champion Beatrice Chebet to cruise to a memorable win in a meeting record and personal best time of 14:12.29.

The pre-race favorite Hassan led the pack of Tsegay and Chebet in the final four laps of the race, all following the unfortunate retirement of Ethiopian youngster Mizan Alem, and hit the four kilometer mark at 11.28.

With a lap to go, the race for the win between the trio - and a closing in Medina Eisa - ensued, ultimately leading in Tsegay pipping Hassan (14:13.42) in the homestretch, as did Chebet, who followed suit in second place clocking a personal best time of 14:12.92.

Her season best was 14:36.52, which was set at the Bauhaus Galan in Stockholm in 14:36.52.

Elsewhere, Olympic Games silver medalist Timothy Cheruiyot could only finish sixth in the men’s 1500m race with a time of 3:31.44.

In the race that was the second event of the afternoon, US champion Yared Nuguse surged to a win in a close finish timing 3:30.44, with four men in the field putting up personal bests, as three others marked their seasonal best times.

Cheruiyot is in the men’s team at the World Championships Games in Budapest after winning the Athletics Kenya trials this month in a time of 3:34.01.