Kenyans triumph in Monaco DL: Obiri continues her fine form ahead of World Championships

Athletics - IAAF Athletics Diamond League meeting - Women's 5000m - Shanghai Stadium, Shanghai, China - 13/5/17 - Hellen Obiri of Kenya celebrates. REUTERS

Manangoi and Korir also win as Yego fails to impress.

World 1,500m silver medallist Elijah Manangoi and Olympic 5000m silver medallist Hellen Obiri gave Kenyans reason to be optimistic ahead of the IAAF World Championships after wins at the Diamond League meeting in Monaco on Friday.

Manangoi provided drama on a slightly lesser scale as he took over the lead from Timothy Cheruiyot in the final 50m, and then took over his place at the top of this year’s world list with a winning time of 3:28.80.

Cheruiyot, who had led the world list with 3:30.77, was rewarded with a personal best of 3:29.10, with Ronald Kwemoi a relatively distant third in 3:32.34. “My only goal in London will be gold,” said Manangoi. “So I am going for it; slow or fast, I do not care!”

The World Championships will be held early next month.

Obiri offered another statement of intent in the 3000m as she drove for home three laps out, eventually winning in the fastest time seen so far this year, 8:23.14.

As in the women’s 800m, the quality of the contest was felt all the way through the field as nine women who followed Obiri home set personal bests, with ninth-placed Meraf Bahta setting a Swedish record of 8:37.50.

The second to fifth-placed runners all earned personal bests – and were, in order, Kenya’s steeplechase specialist Beatrice Chepkoech (8:28.66), Britain’s Laura Muir (8:30.64) and Eilish McColgan (8:31.39), and Kenya’s Lilian Rengeruk (8:32.73).

Emmanuel Korir who won the national trials showed why he will be a medal contender in London as he won the men 800m in a world leading time of 1:43.10.

There were, however, worrying times for Olympic 3000m steeplechase champion Conseslus Kipruto, who had to drop out of last week’s meeting because of a painful ankle, and who made a late decision not to start in Monaco.