Ngetich shines in Miami as focus shifts to Philadelphia

Agnes Chebet Ng'etich crosses the winning line during Sikrwa Classic World Cross Country fourth edition at Lobo grounds in Eldoret, Uasin Gishu County, on February 22, 2025. [Peter Ochieng, Standard] Women's 10km world record holder Agnes Ngetich heavily relied on her powerful kick in the 5000m in her battle for the Miami Grand Slam title in Miami, USA. A third place in 3000m could not stop Ngetich from walking away with USD100,000 (Sh12.9 million) after collecting the maximum points in 5000m on day one on Friday night. Ngetich used the Miami Grand Slam Track meet to confirm that she was in top shape this season and ready to continue her stellar performance to the 2025 World Championships scheduled for September 13-21. "After missing out on the Olympics last year, I want to make up for it this year at the World Championships," she said after breaking the women-only 10km world record at the Road To Records event in Herzogenaurach, Germany on Saturday April 26. She joins 11 other slam winners who stormed to victories at the Ansin Sports Complex in Miami, collected the strongest points and won the top prizes. They are women's 400m hurdles Sydney Mclaughlin-Levrone of the US who amassed the maximum 24 points, Marileidy Paulino (Dominican Republic) who also won her two races in the women's long sprints (200m and 400m) as well as Freweyni Hailu (Ethiopia), Ackera Nugent (Jamaica) and Melissa Jefferson-wooden (USA), who all managed 18 points in short distances, hurdles and sprints respectively. America's Kenneth Bednarek dominated the short sprints with a total of 24 points, same as countryman Trey Cunningham in the short hurdles and Brazilian Alison Dos Santos in the long hurdles. Ngetich wasn't strong enough to secure victory in the Kingston meet in early April because Ethiopia's Ejgayehu Taye proved too strong. But at the Miami slam, she held off Medina Eisa to win the women's 5,000m before settling for a third place in 3000m and scored points that placed her on the same level on points with Ethiopia's Hirut Meshesha - the winner of the 3,000m race. Ngetich was declared the slam champion after emerging the fastest athlete in the group on combined time of the two distances - 5000m and 3000m. Her 15 seconds faster in cumulative time was the tiebreaker. In the 3000m contest, Ngetich (8:23.14), Meshesha, Eisa (8:23.08), and Tsige Gebreselama (8:24.47) all ran their personal bests on the final day. They all dipped under 8:25 after weathering warm conditions. World champion Mary Moraa made a resounding statement in her 800m specialty, winning the race after a disappointing start on Saturday night. The world bronze medallist had finished eigth in 1500m before launching a comeback that pushed her to third place overall, earning USD30,000 (Sh3.8 million). Unlike in Miami, Moraa did not shine in Kingston in April after an illness. She withdrew from the 1500m competition in Jamaica and promised to make up for the disappointment in Miami, and she delivered in her specialty. Moraa went wire-to-wire to win the women's 800 in 1:59.51on Sunday night but Ethiopia's Hailu, who won the 1500m contest in day two, was declared the overall slam champion despite coming in third in 1:59.84 in the final race of the short distances category. The dancing queen however struggled in the 1500m and proved she was good in the 800m. In Kingston, Olympic champion Emmanuel Wanyonyi produced phenomenal victories and emerged the slam title, and in the process proved that he had the dexterity to double 800m and 1500m. Ngetich used the slam to confirm that she was ready to race 5000m while Moraa signaled that 800m was her main business.

Ngetich shines in Miami as focus shifts to Philadelphia

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Ngetich shines in Miami as focus shifts to Philadelphia

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