The IAAF then decided to cut down the prize money by introducing a new Diamond League and spreading out the races to Asia and the US besides the usual meetings in Europe.
Kenya’s Nancy Jebet Lagat, the Beijing Olympics women’s 1,500m champion, has shaken off her rusty season and won three races in the Diamond League. She won in Doha, New York and Stockholm and leads the field with 13 points ahead of Ethiopia’s Gelete Burka with seven.
Russia’s Anna Alminova has six points.
A top two finish in the final two races will see Lagat take home the Diamond League title.
“My target is to run a sub-four-minute. I was eying that in Stockholm but was short by a few micro seconds. Now I will eye the same in London or Brussels,” said Lagat.
In the men’s 1,500, Olympic champion Asbel Kiprop and compatriots Augustine Choge and Silas Kiplagat are also eyeing the jackpot. Asbel, who leads the pair with 14 points, has claimed victory in Oslo, Eugene and Gateshed and lost to Choge, who has seven points, in Shanghai.
Kiplagat, unknown until he burst out to the limelight in Monaco to claim victory and beating both Moroccan Laalou Amine and Choge, is third with four points. “I have gained more experience and tactics in running. I want to win everything,” said Kiprop.
In the men 3,000m steeplechase, Olympic champion Brimin Kipruto and Paul Kipsiele Koech are tied on nine points apiece. There are four more Kenyans in the race – world champion Ezekiel Kemboi (five points), Linus Chumba (four), Patrick Langat (three) and Michael Kipyego.
Uganda’s Benjamin Kiplagat has two points. In the women 5,000/3,000m race, Ethiopia’s Sentayehu Ejigu leads with 12 points against world champion Vivian Cheruiyot with eight points. Double Olympic 10,000 and 5,000m champion Tirunesh Dibaba is third with four points.
World silver medallist Yuliya Zarudneva (Russia) ran a perfect 3000m steeplechase to finally end Kenyan dominance of the IAAF Diamond League event in Stockholm. She trails world bronze medallist Milcah Chemos (16 points) and Lydia Jerotich (eight points). Africa 800m record holder David Rudisha (1:41.51) is the favourite in the men’s 800m.
With no assignment for him in London, Rudisha leads the pack with 12 points after wins in Doha, Oslo and Lausanne. Rudisha is yet to be beaten this season and will next run in Brussels on August 27.
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