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Kipyegon, Obiri seek dominion at Prefontaine Classic meet in US

Xinhua, April 25, 2017 Adjust font size:

Olympic 1,500m champion Faith Kipyegon of Kenya said she is under no pressure to prove her credential to her critics when she launches her track season in Eugene, Oregon (USA) during the Diamond League next month.

Kipyegon and 5,000m world silver medalist Hellen Obiri (Kenya) will lead a star-studded field in the four-lap race at the Prefontaine Classic, the third stop of the IAAF Diamond League meeting on May 27.

However, Kipyegon said posting a fast time is her target as she seeks to dominate the 1,500m race ahead of the London World Championships in August.

"I have done what can be done and won the medals justifiable. The rest is not up to me. I run my own race and irrespective of who is in the line-up, I always know my strength, which I intend to exploit fully in Eugene," she said on Tuesday in Nairobi.

According to the organizers, seven of the 15 entrants have lifetime bests within four minutes, and when they toe the line in the first outdoor meeting on the American soil this season, it will be hard to separate the best performer until the last stride.

Their challenge will be to surpass the current record for the most sub-four-minute performances at the Pre Classic, which currently stands at five, achieved in 2014.

Kipyegon won the Olympic 1,500m title last year with a stunning finish that saw her cover the last two laps in 1:57.2, giving world record-holder Genzebe Dibaba her first loss in almost two years.

The world silver medallist clocked a personal best time and US all-comers' record of 3:56.41 when winning the 1,500m at last year's Pre Classic.

Obiri held the Kenyan record and US all-comers' record before Kipyegon. Last year she won the 5,000m at the Pre Classic and went on to take the Olympic silver medal in that event. She ended her season by setting a 5,000m PB of 14:25.78.

Laura Muir is the 2016 1,500m Diamond Race winner. Last year she reduced the British to 3:55.22, making her the second-fastest woman this millennium and the quickest woman at this year's Pre Classic.

With a best of 3:56.05, world indoor champion Sifan Hassan is the second fastest in the field.

Others are Shannon Rowbury, the 2009 world bronze medallist, Morocco's Rababe Arafi, Poland's Sofia Ennaoui, Dawit Seyaum and Gudaf Tsegay who were gold and silver medallists respectively at the 2014 World Junior Championships and USA's Kate Grace and Shelby Houlihan. Endit