World and Diamond League Champion Faith Chepng’etich to miss IAAF gala

[PHOTO: COURTESY]

She stunned Ethiopia’s world 1,500m record-holder Genzebe Dibaba at Queen Elizabeth Park in London and crowned it all with an IAAF Diamond League trophy.

With such a feat, the athletics world expected that Faith Chepng’etich stood a chance as a potential nominee for IAAF Athlete of the Year set for Monte Carlo, Monaco, France, on November 24. She was not.

But Cheng’etich looks contended. “The panellists must have evaluated our performances well. I am still young and hope that my time will come. I am happy for my 2017 season and expect a good season in 2018. I wish Hellen Obiri and Elijah Manangoi the best,” said Cheng’etich.

She is managed by Dutchman Jos Hermens of Global Sports Communications, whose stable collected five gold, six silver, and four bronze medals in London.

At times Chepng’etich trains in the Netherlands' oldest city of Nijmegen, where the Global Sports has a camp.

While a Form Two Student at Winner’s Girls High School in Keringet, Chepng’etich was among the young athletes who were feted at the centenary celebrations of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) in Barcelona, Spain, in 2012.

The selection process to choose the 2017 World Athletes of the Year is underway, with 10 men and 10 women on the cards. They were selected by an international panel of athletics experts comprising representatives from all six continental areas of the IAAF.

Almaz Ayana (Ethiopia) won the world 10,000m title with a world-leading 30:16.32 and settled for silver in 5000m at the world championships.

Maria Lasitskene of Russia is a world high jump and IAAF Diamond League champion. She went unbeaten all year in 24 competitions and moved to equal fifth on the world all-time list with her world-leading 2.06m.

Hellen Obiri is a world 5000m and IAAF Diamond League winner who maintained an unbeaten run in 5,000m, setting world leads of 8:23.14 at 3000m and 14:18.37 at 5000m.

Sally Pearson of Australia, the 2011 World Athlete of the Year, is world 100m hurdles champion and IAAF Diamond League champion.

Sandra Perkovic (Croatia) is world discus champion and IAAF Diamond League champion. Her world-leading 71.41m was the best throw in the world since 1992.

Brittney Reese of USA is a long jump champion, having jumped a world-leading 7.13m.

Caster Semenya of South Africa is world 800m champion and IAAF Diamond League champion as well as world 1500m bronze medalist. She won all her 800m races in 2017 and ran a world lead of 1:55.16, the fastest time in the world for nine years.

Ekaterini Stefanidi of Greece is a world pole vault and IAAF Diamond League champion. She went undefeated outdoors and cleared a world lead of 4.91m to move to equal fourth on the world all-time list. Belgium's Nafissatou Thiam is also in the mix.