Tanui runs world's fourth fastest ever 2,000m SC performance in global meet

LILLE, FRANCE

 

Norah Jeruto Tanui, hammering out the world’s fourth fastest ever 2000m Steeplechase performance, clearly underlined why she is favourite for the gold medal when the third day of the seventh IAAF World Youth Championships got underway in Lille.

Tanui, instead of just settling into the pack and gaining one of the four automatic qualifying places, operated at almost full throttle when flying around her five circuits of the track in 6:20.67, which improved the world leader she set at altitude in Nairobi a month ago by five seconds.

After passing through the first kilometre in 3:01.95, the tiny 15-year-old Kenyan was on schedule to break the World Youth Best Performance of 6:11.83 which Ethiopia’s Korahubsh Itaa achieved at the last Championships in Bressanone two years ago.

But a huge 50 metres ahead of the field and running in a personal vacuum it didn’t happen although no doubt she will have it on her wish list in tomorrow’s final.

“It was very easy for me, I didn’t find any problem to win this race,” said Tanui who will be joined in the final by the other qualifiers by right who all set PBs: Motu Megersa of Ethiopia (6:30.81), Morocco’s Fadwa Sidi Madane (6:34.10), Belen Casetta of Argentina (6:35.40) and Ugandan Nancy Cheptegei (6:38.57).

Tanui’s teammate Lilian Jepkorir Chemweno also won her qualifier - if not so convincingly -  in a personal best 6:31.66 from the determined looking pre-Championship world No. 2, Madeleine Meyers of the USA.

Chemweno, who posted her previous PB of 6:35.7 behind Tanui at the Kenyan Schools meet on 8 June, at one stage enjoyed a 30 metre advantage from Meyers after passing through the first kilometre in 3:04.31.

But her much taller rival who possessed a much longer stride, began reeling her in to finish in 6:34.80 with Ethiopia’s Tejinesh Gebisha and Dana Elena Loghin also making the final by right with PB times of 6:35.22 and 6:41.96.

 

 — IAAF.org