Cheruiyot longs to wear second crown at Worlds

Silver medalist Timothy Cheruiyot, of Kenya, poses on the podium during he medal ceremony for the men's 1,500-meters at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Saturday, Aug. 7, 2021, in Tokyo. (AP

It will be a dogfight when arch rivals square it out in men’s 1,500m heats at the 18th World Athletics Championships start in Eugene, Oregon in USA at 4:30am tomorrow.

And the clash between Ethiopia’s two-time world indoor champion Samuel Tefera, Olympic bronze medallist Josh Kerr of UK, Norway’s Olympic champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen against the Kenyan squad will no doubt send adrenaline levels high if they all make the finals.

Defending champion Timothy Cheruiyot, Abel Kipsang, fourth at the Tokyo Olympic Games and who holds the fastest time (3:31.01), are expected to anchor the Kenyan title chase.

They will join forces with Charles Simotwo, another member of Tokyo Olympic Games squad, and 2016 world Under-20 champion Kumari Taki.

Kipsang drew first blood on the 2022 Diamond League circuit after winning the season opener in Doha before winning the second leg inside Alexander Stadium in Birmingham and national trials at Kasarani Stadium.

The 25-year-old Kipsang is yet to win his first global medal at an outdoor championship.

He earned bronze behind Tefera and Ingebrigtsen at the World Indoors in Belgrade.

Cheruiyot is yet to recover his best form but the Olympic silver medallist finished third over the mile in Eugene and he has the championship pedigree to navigate.

Ingebrigtsen made his 2022 Diamond League debut at the Prefontaine Classic meet in Eugene, USA, on May 28. At the age of 21, Ingebrigtsen has very nearly done it all.