Kenyan athletes continued to impress in Europe as world 5,000m champion Vivian Cheruiyot defeated compatriot and world 10,000m champion Linet Masai in the final lap of the women’s 3,000m race at the British Grand Prix, part of the IAAF World Athletics Tour, on Monday night.Cheruiyot and Masai exchanged te lead but Cheruiyot had the stronger finish, winning in 8:53.04 as Masai (8:54.86) was second while Grace Momanyi (8:56.37), fourth in Berlin in the 10,000m, was third to complete a Kenyan podium sweep.
Uganda’s Moses Kipsiro held off Kenyan-turned-American Bernard Lagat, the world 5,000m silver medallist, for a 7:35.69 win in the 3,000m. Lagat (7:36.68) was second ahead of Kenyans Sammy Mutahi (7:37.19), Mark Kiptoo (7:37.44) and Silas Kipruto (7:37.65). Abraham Chebii (7:41.43) and Mike Kipruto Kigen (7:43.76) were seventh and eighth, respectively.
Kenyans Gideon Gathimba (3:41.71) and Bethwell Birgen (3:41.93) were third and fourth, respectively, in a 1,500m race won by Leonel Manzano (USA) in 3:41.10. Andrew Baddeley (3:41.24) of Britain was second.
In the two-lap race, Nick Symmonds of USA (1:47.30) edged out Kenya’s Geoffrey Rono (1:47.43) while Joe Thomas (Britain) was third in 1:47.44.
World 10,000m bronze medallist Wude Ayalew (8:37.12) won the 3,000m ahead of Kenyan Iness Chenonge (8:41.60) and Poland’s Lidia Chojecka (8:41.83), season’s best for all.
Former World champion Janeth Jepkosgei (1:59.94) was second in the 800m behind Russia’s European indoor champion Mariya Savinova (1:59.38). Elena Kofanova (2:00.19) third in a blanket finish for the next three spots.
Bahrain’s Belal Mansoor Ali (3:36.20) edged out Kenyan William Biwott by a scant 0.01 seconds in the 1,500m. American Lopez Lomong (3:37.80) was third.
Two-time world high jump champion Blanka Vlasic capped the finest series of her career with a sensational 2.08m leap at home on Monday to become the second highest jumper of all-time in what was perhaps the finest in the Zagreb Grand Prix’s 59 years.
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