OBIRI SHATTERS GAMES' RECORD: Chepng'etich, Jepleting in final tonight in bid to retain title

Kenya's Hellen Onsando Obiri leads the pack in the last lap of the heat of the Women's 1500m Round 1 at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland, July 28, 2014. REUTERS/Suzanne Plunkett (BRITAIN - Tags: SPORT ATHLETICS)

Kenya’s 1,500m starlets eye title defence when they line up in the metric mile final at the Hampden Park Stadium here tonight.

Former world junior 1,500m champion Faith Chepng’etich and little-known Sela Jepleting also qualified for the final, which is expected to offer mouth-watering battle against a strong Australian challenge.

World 1,500m bronze medalist Hellen Obiri set the ball rolling yesterday when she ran a brilliant 4:04.08, shattering the games record mark of 4:05.26 set by former Olympic champion Nancy Jebet Lagat in the New Delhi Games.

That was no surprise from Obiri, the World Indoor silver medalist, who is fresh from breaking two records this season: she made a night for Kenya to remember when she set the Africa 3,000m record in 8:20.68 at the IAAF Diamond League opening leg in Doha, Qatar, last May before breaking the US all-comers 1,500m meet record at the Diamond League race in Eugene, Oregon.

The Kenya Defence Forces runner stayed behind the leading pack for two laps, tactically waiting to react in the final 600m stretch and upstage New Zealand’s Hamblin Nikki and home girl England Hannah.

She then produced a devastating kick to victory as Nikki (4:05.08), Miur Laura (4:05.91), another home girl, and Australia’s ‘assassin’ Duncan Melissa (4:05.76), who ran

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who ran her personal best time.

Obiri, who hails from Kisii County, said: "I am happy for the games record. But that's not enough. We are all strong finalists. I am sure we can plan well and win 1-2-3 here. It's possible. We will work as a team.

She went on: "I decided to kick at 600 metres for fear that the Australian (Mcknight Kaila) would be strong enough."

Mcknight finished sixth in 4:06.06, which is her season best, and locked her out in the final tonight.

Chepng'etich, a Form Three Student at Winner's Girls High in Kuresoi, carried heat two without much fuss in 4:05.77.

Canada's Van Buskirk Kate (4:07.74) and home girl Weightman Laura (4:08.58) followed as Sela Jepleting returned fourth in a personal best mark of 4:08.85.

Chepng'etich, who has a season best time of 3:58.01 set in Eugene last May and the Africa record of 3:56.98 set in 2013 Diamond League in Doha, is certain of a podium sweep tonight.

"I was worried of Australia's Mcknight. We will sit down and plan well and win the medals here," said Chepng'etich, 20.

It was a bad afternoon for Kenyan 400m charges Mark Mutai and Solomon Bwoga, who failed to qualify to the semi-finals after Jacinter Shikanda also gave the games a bye on Sunday evening.

Meanwhile, parasports athletes in 100m T37 category saw their dreams to the semi-final go up in smoke. Jonathan Kipchumba Sum finished fifth in heat two in 13:34 behind Larry Elias (13:34), Robert Sean of Australia's (12:99), Maclean Jason (12:96) and Du Toit Charl (12:02) Russia.

Ann Ng'endo and Munialo Nelly Nasimiyu, both lining up in the same cadre, failed to qualify after finishing sixth and seventh in 15:10 and 15:16 respectively.