Off the wire
• China Focus: Company delisted in Shanghai for fabricated information disclosure  • Russia completes power bridges linking Crimea, ending dependence on Kiev  • Spanish stock market falls 1.27 pct, closes at 8,663 points  • China calls for multilateral anti-graft mechanism  • 1.7 mln Somalis in Puntland, Somaliland need aid: UN official  • UK economic growth steady at 0.3 pct in Q1: think-tank  • LME base metals increase on Wednesday  • Experts raise concern over Kenya's raising debt levels  • Beijing marathon silver medalist Kiprop makes Kenya team to Rio Olympics  • Ghana's April inflation drops to 18.7 pct  
You are here: 　 Home

Kenyan stars to charge at the Shanghai Diamond league meeting

Xinhua, May 12, 2016 Adjust font size:

The Shanghai Diamond League meeting in China on Saturday will see a clash of colours in the men' s 5,000 distance as Kenya' s best talents seek to make early warning of their intent ahead of the Rio Olympic Games.

Olympic medalists Thomas Longosiwa and Edwin Soi lead the Kenyan challenge alongside 2013 world bronze medalist Isaiah Koech and world indoor 3000m bronze medalist Augustine Choge.

The winner will have a lot of confidence as the athletes prepare for the explosive Kenyan trials in July.

"We have always had problems in regards to team work and how to tackle the opposition," said Koech. "But after many false starts, I believe this season will turn out good and we win the elusive gold in the 5,000m.

"However, that is something for later discussion. The battle at hand in Shanghai will showcase who is fit and what to expect in the trials for the Kenya team. It is important to run a tactical race and win in Shanghai because it will oscillate from fast to slow pace."

They will join some of the best of Africa athletes in a battle for early season points as six Ethiopians take on four Kenyans. Yomif Kejelcha begins his defence of the Diamond Race trophy he won last year.

The world indoor 3000m champion takes on fellow Ethiopian and world bronze medallist Hagos Gebrhiwet, plus Olympic silver medallist Dejen Gebremeskel and 2011 world cross-country champion Imane Merga.

Yenew Alamirew is also in the field for Ethiopia; the world and Olympic finalist won here two years ago.

The Kenyan athletes in 5,000m distance will depart Wednesday together with others in the 1,500m women, led by world silver medalist Faith Chepng' etich, Viola Kibiwott and Helen Obiri, the former World Indoor 3,000m champion.

There is also World 400m hurdles champion Nicholas Bett, who will be making his debut in the 14-tier Diamond League series this season.

"This will be Bett' s second invite at the Diamond League and he is happy, we will start in a country where he gained his most coveted title, China. Shanghai will be my first competition in this Olympic season," the 26-year-old Bett said.

"The start of the season is always very important so I want to be 100 per cent ready for it."

This will be Bett' s most difficult race since he won gold in Beijing World Championships last season. Orgaisers of the meeting have assembled some of the best talents in the field hoping to inspire a fast time.

"I know everyone has been training ahead of this meeting but I don' t fear anybody or say that runner will outsmart me. I hope my training will bear fruits in Shanghai," said Bett.

The world champion will be accompanied by his brother Aaron Koech, a semi-finalist in Beijing world championships in the same distance.

There will be the 2005 world champion and 2015 Diamond Race winner Bershawn Jackson, Olympic silver medalist Michael Tinsley and two-time world champion Kerron Clement, Bahamian record-holder and world bronze medallist Jeffery Gibson, two-time world silver medallist Javier Culson of Puerto Rico, 2011 world bronze medallist LJ van Zyl of South Africa, Turkish record-holder Yasmani Copello and Asian Games bronze medalist Cheng Wen of China. Endit