FIREWORKS AWAIT RIO SELECTION: Diamond League results point to explosive Olympic Games trials
Athletics
By
ROBIN TOSKIN in EUGENE, USA
| May 30, 2016
Athletics Kenya Rio Olympic trials promise to throw up some fascinating action if the just concluded IAAF Prefontaine Classic here in Eugene is anything go by.
Hellen Obiri (5,000m), Faith Chepng'etich (1,500m) and Hyvin Kiyeng put up some swashbuckling performances that may have laid the marker for a bruising battle during the selection event slated for end of June.
The Kenyans scorched the field leaving Ethiopians gasping for breath, with Belaynesh Oljira finishing fifth behind the quartet of Obiri, Viola Kibiwott (14:35.13), Vivian Cheruiyot (14:35.69) and Mercy Cherono (14:37.08).
Chepng'etich (3:56.41) wheeled away with ruthless efficiency from Ethiopians Dawit Seyaum (3:58.10) and Gudaf Segay (4:00.18) to lift the 1,500m title, winning the admiration of a partisan crowd inside the University of Oregon athletics stadium.
In the men's race, Asbel Kiprop showed he is still the man to beat, but the chase for the second and third ticket in the 1,500m discipline will be a dogfight.
Both the 5,000m and 10,000m is definitely an open affair as Geoffrey Kamworor (12:59.98), second in 5000m wavered under some discomforting heat inside the Hayward Field.
Old warhorses Thomas Longosiwa (13:02.91) and Edwin Soi (13:03.26) will feel they will have a shout at 5,000m the trials, something Athletics Kenya Executive Committee member, Barnabas Korir, admits has left athletics authorities worried about the category.
"It will be cut-throat competition. Longosiwa and Soi are doing their best. They are have impressive competitive spirit and not showing signs of slowing down. However, there are no youngsters coming through to seriously challenge them," Korir, who led the Kenyan athletes here in Eugene, said.
Muktar Edris (12:59.43) of Ethiopia overcame Kamworor with less than 50m to go, something that will trouble Kenyan coaches heading into the Rio Olympics.
Britain's Mo Farah won 10,000m, but not without the frustration of upstarts William Malel Sitonik (6:54.66), Stephen Sambu (26:58.25) and Nicholas Kosimbet (27:02.59) causing some hair-splitting moments for the double Olympic and World champion.
"Overall, there is nothing much to worry about going by the athletes' performances here," Korir said.
"The girls really did well here. If they continue like this, we shall have very interesting match ups at the Olympic trials."
Javelin World champion Julius Yego (84.68m) finished second behind Egypt's Ihab Abdelrahman (87.37m), but his performance is consistent with his rather slow start every beginning of the season.
It is, however, the performance of the 400m hurdles champion Nicholas Bett that will galvanise other contestants come the trials.
Bett finished seventh clocking 51.33 in a race Americans Michael Tinsley (48.74), Kerron Clement (48.87) and Breshawn Jackson (49.04) dominated, in a what could be a statement of intent after the Kenyan hero upstaged them in China last August.