Lagat set to clinch Diamond Trophy in Zurich tonight

By Mutwiri Mutuota

Few Kenyans have ever heard of the Letzigrund Stadium in Zurich, but at the majestic arena tonight, history beckons the Diamond Trophy chasing Air Force officer, Nancy Jebet Lagat (1,500m) four days before her 29th birthday.

Upon conclusion of action packed programme at the Weltklasse Meeting that is the first final of the inaugural IAAF 14-event Samsung Diamond League (DL), 16 pioneer winners of the competition will be coroneted.

Whenever athletics history is crafted, Kenyan runners are never far away from the chisel, and apart from Lagat, DL glory is up for grabs in men 3,000m steeplechase and 5,000m events for the country’s exponents.

Barring unmitigated disaster, the country’s queen of the Classic Mile, Lagat will soar into the hallowed list, waiting their big moment in Zurich to cap another feather in a fantastic 14-year career.

In 2008, she became only the second Kenyan female to bag Olympics gold, when she tore away from the competition on the last lap in the women’s 1,500m final.

Nancy Jebet Lagat in action during the Armed Forces Championships ahead of the African Championships at Nyayo National Stadium last month. [PHOTO: FILE/STANDARD].

Ready to roll

After a stuttering 2009 season where injury halted her march to the heights of World Championships in Berlin, Lagat returned this year packed and ready to roll.

Her re-discovery of form coincided with the launch of the DL, the circuit competition where elite athletes battle for points over 14 meetings and one of the two finals, the next will be in Brussels next week.

It replaced the $1m (Sh80m) six-meet IAAF Golden League discontinued this year.

The amiable, soft spoken, but lavishly gifted runner has accumulated 17 points in the competition, nine ahead of second placed Russian and world leader, Anna Alminova (eight).

With eight points up for grabs in Zurich, Alminova cannot bridge the gap but as per requirements of DL, Lagat has to compete to be awarded the glittering diamond crusted trophy as well as the $40,000 (Sh3.2m) series-winning purse.

Coming to Zurich, Lagat’s DL credentials in 1,500m read an impressive four wins and a loss in five races started namely; Doha (1st/4:01.63/May 5), New York (1st/4:01.60/June 6), Lausanne (3rd/4:00.13/July 8), Stockholm (1st/4:00.70/August 8) and London (1st/4:07.60).

Steeplechase battle

While Lagat’s status as winner is all but assured, men steeple exponents, Paul Kipsiele, Olympic champion Brimin Kipruto and world gold medallist Ezekiel Kemboi have a battle of their lives at hand.

The three are still in contention to take the overall series although leader Kipsiele (13) is the most in-form.

The 28-year-old finished ahead of Kemboi (seven) and Kipruto (ten) in a non-paced race in Crystal Palace in 8:17.70, and won in Stockholm in 8:02.18.

Whoever scoops the eight points in the final will hurdle away with the trophy. In the men’s 5,000m, Eliud Kipchoge and Vincent Chepkok have an outside chance.