Kenyans in clean sweep in 800m men race and 3,000m women showdown

Kenya's Caroline Chepkoech Kipkirui celebrates after winning the women's 3000m. [REUTERS/Ibraheem Al Omari]

Watched by big a number of Kenyan fans at the stands, Kenyan track stars made a good start to the IAAF Diamond League Series’ first leg in Doha on Friday evening as Emmanuel Korir and Caroline Chepkoech Kipkirui raced to victories.

The cheering from Kenyan fans paid off with Korir leading fellow countrymen, world champion and newly minted Commonwealth Games champion Elijah Manangoi and Nicholas Kiplangat in the men’s 800m podium sweep.

American-based Korir crossed the line in 1:45.21 ahead of Manangoi (1:45.60) who opted to drop from his 1500m specialty, with Kiplangat settling for third place stopping the clock in 1:46.51.

Adam Kszczot of Poland finished fourth ahead of former Diamond League Trophy winner Ferguson Rotich in fifth place.

The results earn the top Kenyan trio eight, seven and six Diamond Leagues points respectively.

Kenyans registered another podium sweep in women’s 3000m which was charaterised by a wave of Personal Best (PB) times.

With world 5,000m champion Hellen Obiri starting the series on a wrong foot finishing in a distant 13th place, Kipkirui won the race in a photo finish against fellow countrywoman and World Championship 10,000m bronze medallist Agnes Tirop.

Kipkirui clocked 8:29.05, world lead, just 0.4 seconds ahead of Tirop who crossed the line in 8:29.09 her new PB. Olympic silver medallist in 3000m steeplechase Hyvin Kiyeng was third in 8:30.51.

Ethiopian Chala Beyo surprised the Kenyan charges in men’s 3,000m steeplechase event beating Kenya’s Lawrance Kemboi to second place.

The Ethiopian registered 8:13.71 ahead of Kemboi (8:15.07).

Meanwhile, after a tumultuous two weeks following the controversial IAAF hyperandrogenism rule, South African Caster Semenya answered her critics in the best way possible easily winning her new found event -1500m.

Semenya set a new South African mark clocking 3:59.92.

In men’s Javelin, former world champion Julius Yego continued with his dismal performance posting 80.75 in eighth place in an event dominated by Germans.

 The men’s 1500m, none Diamond League race saw Taresa Tolosa win in 3:35.07 ahead of 17-year-old Kenya’s George Manangoi who clocked a PB of 3:35.53.