Athletics focus shifts to Morocco ahead of IAAF Diamond League

Kenya's David Lekuta Rudisha and Kenya's Ferguson Cheruiyot Rotich compete in the final of the men's 800 metres athletics event at the 2015 IAAF World Championships at the "Bird's Nest" National Stadium in Beijing on August 25, 2015. AFP PHOTO / OLIVIER MORIN

Kenyan charges are expected to blaze the trails when Africa’s maiden IAAF Diamond League meeting gets underway in Rabat, Morocco, on Sunday.

The meet was endorsed when the General Assembly of the Diamond League meetings in Zurich, Switzerland, decided to include Rabat, Morocco as a new host city for the 14-leg IAAF Diamond League Meeting.

The Meeting International Mohammed VI, which is annually held in the Moroccan capital’s Complexe Prince Moulay Abdellah, replaces New York, USA in the 2016 season and will see Africa become the fourth continent –joining Europe, Asia and America –as hosts of IAAF Diamond League series.

And Kenya, which boasts a rich-field, is expected to light up the third leg of IAAF Diamond League with a classy line up on parade.

It will be a spectacular sight to behold as Ferguson Rotich, fresh from winning the Shanghai Diamond League last week, takes on Botswana’s Olympic 800m silver medallist Nijel Amos in the two-lap race.

There are high expectations from Rotich, who beat Olympic and world 800m record holder David Rudisha in Shanghai, as he challenges Amos, who basks in an impressive 1:43.73 all-time mark.

Rotich (1:42.84), who is attached to Golazo Sports Management, will lead Job Kinyor (1:43.76) against Ethiopia’s 2013 world champion Aman Mohammed (1:42.72) and Pierre-Ambroise Bosse (1:42.53) of France.

Having won the Doha meet, two-time world 3,000m steeplechase silver medallist Conseslus Kipruto must prove his victory was not a one-off. Kipruto will tackle 2015 IAAF Diamond League Trophy winner and his home neighbour Jairus Kipchoge Birech alongside veteran Paul Kipsiele Koech and Clement Kimutai.

But they must be wary of Frenchman Mekhissi Benabbad, who has always denied Kenya a clean sweep –save for Beijing in which injury ruled him out.

Fireworks are expected in 1,500m where Silas Kiplagat (3:27.64), Timothy Cheruiyot (3:34.86) Ethiopia’s Dawit Wolde (3:31.82) and Morocco’s Mohamed Moustaoui will compete.