Tag Archives: Ajee’ Wilson

Athletics

Keely Hodgkinson to drop down to 400m after Paris Meet

Olympic 800m silver medallist Keely Hodgkinson will drop down from her specialty of two laps race to tackle the 400m at England Athletics Under-23 Championships set to be held from June 17-18 in England.

The 21 year-old who is also the World 800m silver medallist will open her season over 800m at the Paris Diamond League set for today (June 9) and then make an appearance in the one lap  at the England U23 Champs.

Hodgkinson coach, Trevor Painter had hinted that the 400m at the European Under-23 Championships in Finland in mid-July could act as a stepping stone ahead of racing 800m at the World Championships in Budapest in August.

While speaking to the press at the Paris Diamond League Meeting, Hodgkinson confirmed a 400m run-out at the England Champs is a possibility next week.

Hodgkinson who won silver medal in Tokyo behind Athing Mu of the United States, has a 400m life time best of 52.41 which she set last year when finishing fifth at the British Championships.

When asked her expected time, she said, “I’ll let my legs do my talking but training has been going well and I’m looking forward to starting my season with a bang.”

The reigning European 800m champion will have to get past a star studded line-up that includes double world 800m bronze medallist, Ajee’ Wilson from the United States, Tokyo Olympics 800m bronze medallist, Raevyn Rogers, the 2019 World 800m champion, Halima Nakaayi from Uganda.

Other title contender include  the oldest athlete on the start list, Noelie Yarigo from Benin, who is also an Air force officer and was given leave to prepare for the 2016 Olympics in France and the Oceania’s Indoor Record holder Catriona Bisset

Athletics

Athing Mu eyes Caster Semenya World Record

Olympic 800m champion, Athing Mu will lead a deep filed of elite athletes at the Penn Relays that will be held on Saturday (30) at the historic Franklin Field in Philadelphia Pennsylvania.

The star-studded rich field includes Ajee Wilson of the United States, who recently won the World Indoor 800m, and Jamaica’s Natoya Goule, who was a finalist at the Tokyo Olympics.

The 19-year-old last year set a personal best in 800m of 1:55.04 and she also carries the fourth fastest all-time in the 600m of 1:24.13 that she got early this year in Temple, Arizona. Mu also holds an incredible 400m lifetime best of 49.57 that she got last year in Hayward Field.

Mu holds the world U20 best in the Indoor 600m that she set in 2019 when she was 16 years of age. Her time of 1:23.57 is the second fastest ever run Indoors and the second fastest run by an American woman in any condition.

Mu would be a potential threat to the 600m World Record of 1:21.77 that was set in 2017 by Caster Semenya from South Africa.

The 2019 Pan American U20 Champion, will battle for honors with the 2017 World bronze medallist Ajee Wilson, who also took the World 800m Indoor tile early this year. The 27 year-old comes to this race with a lifetime best of 1:25.59 that she got in February. Wilson holds a personal best time in 600m of 1:22.39, which is the second-fastest time of all time.

The 2019 Pan American Games champion, Natoya Goule will also be in contention as she comes with a personal best of 51.52 in 400m and 1:56.15in 800m which is a Jamaican National Record.

Athletics

Natoya Goule to clash with Ajee Wilson at the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix

Former Commonwealth Games bronze medallist, Natoya Goule will clash with the second-fastest American all time in 800m, Ajée Wilson at the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix, which is the third edition World Athletics Indoor Tour Gold meet that will be held today (6) at the Ocean Breeze Athletics Complex on Staten Island.

Goule is the indoor and outdoor record holder and will be the start watch after finishing runner-up to Wilson at the Millrose Games last week.

The 30 year-old will also take on Sammy Watson from the United States and Isabelle Boffey from Great Britain.

Athletics

Mu and Wilson set to clash over 800m at Millrose Games

Organisers of the Millrose Games have announced that Olympic champion Athing Mu will take on world bronze medallist Ajee Wilson in the 800m at the World Athletics Indoor Tour Gold meeting on 29 January.

Aged just 19, Mu has this year established herself as the best 800m runner in the world and was undefeated at the distance indoors and outdoors. She won Olympic gold in Tokyo, breaking Wilson’s US 800m record, and then earned a second gold medal in the 4x400m. She went on to lower the US 800m record to 1:55.04 when winning at the Wanda Diamond League meeting in Eugene.

“Millrose is the ideal place to begin my season,” said Mu, who last week was named by World Athletics as the 2021 Female Rising Star. “The audience brings great energy and I always look forward to the atmosphere and competing at The Armory – It’s iconic.”

Wilson, a six-time Millrose Games champion, has not lost at this meeting since 2013. Wilson broke her own US indoor record at the 2020 Millrose Games, clocking 1:58.29.

“It’s been a while,” Wilson said, referring to last season’s cancelled Millrose Games due to the pandemic. “I’m super excited to return to The Armory for the Millrose Games.”

World and Olympic finalist Natoya Goule-Toppin, the Jamaican record-holder indoors and outdoors, will join Mu and Wilson in the 800m at the Millrose Games.

These 800m stars are the latest big names to be announced for the Millrose Games, following the recent confirmations of Olympic shot put champion Ryan Crouser, world shot put champion Joe Kovacs and US 1500m champions Elle Purrier St Pierre and Cole Hocker.

Athletics

Nyairera out to make amends as she battles Semenya and Niyosaba in Lausanne

Olympic 800m bronze medallist Margaret Nyairera is seeking to bounce back at the Lausanne Diamond League meeting tomorrow after failing to finish in Paris a week ago.

Nyairera has had a mixed season so far at the circuit, finishing sixth at the Prefontaine Classic in Oregon, where she posted 1:58.67 in her first outing.
Nyairera hopes to find her form ahead of the Africa Championships slated for Nigeria next month. “The Diamond league races will enable me find the right form ahead of the Africa Championship,” she added.
Nyairera, who bagged silver the Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast last April, said the early start to the season has contributed to her struggles on track. “The season started early with the Commonwealth Games but I hope come the Africa even,  I will be in peak condition,” she added. World and Commonwealth Games champion Caster Semenya won the two-lap race in Paris in 1:54.25. Former world champion Eunice Sum will also be in contention in the Swiss city after finishing ninth in 1:59.25 in Paris.
The two Kenyans will face off with Olympic silver medallist Francine Niyonsaba of Burundi, who was second in Paris behind Semenya in 1:55.86. Others to look out for include Ajee Wilson of the United States, home favourite Selina Buchel, Lynsey Sharp of the United States and Alemu Habitam of Ethiopia.
Davis Kiplangat leads a formidable strong Kenyan contingent in the 5000 metres alongside Collins Cheboi, Vincent Letting, David Bett, Sylvester Kiprotich and Richard Kimunyan in the 12-lap race.
They face stern test from Ethiopia’s World champion Muktar Edris alongside Yomif Kekelecha and world Under-18 champion Selemon Barega in a competitive field that is expected to produce fireworks.
Winny Chebet will lead Kenya’s hunt in the 1,500 metres alongside Nelly Jepkosgei and Emiliy Cherotich. The trio will be up against Hassan Sifan (Netherlands), Meraf Bahta (Sweden), Laura Muir (Great Britain), Dawit Seyaum, Gudaf Tsegay (Ethiopia), Liden Hall (Australia) and Arafi Rababe (Morocco).

Athletics

Cheruiyot leads formidable lineup for Paris Diamond League

World and Commonwealth 1500m silver medallist Timothy Cheruiyot leads a formidable lineup to the Paris Diamond League meeting on Saturday.

Cheruiyot, who is part of Team Kenya to the Africa Senior Championships, will be hoping to continue his rich vein of form on the circuit.

He won the 800m at Kenya Prisons Championships a fortnight ago posting 1:44.7 and clinched last month’s Diamond League meeting in Shanghai after posting 3:31.48 in his specialty.

Cheruiyot, who has played second fiddle to World and Commonwealth Games champion Elijah Manangoi in the recent past, is confident of his from.

“My form is good and I am confident this year I can strike gold at the Africa championship in Nigeria and I will be using the Diamond League meeting to gauge my form as part of my preparations,” said Cheruiyot.

Cheruiyot, the Diamond League trophy holder, will enjoy the company of compatriots Bethwell Birgen and Charles Simotwo. The Kenyan trio will be up against a competitive field that includes home favourite Mahidiene Benabad, Djibouti’s Ayanleh Souleiman, Morocco ‘s Abdelaati Iguider, New Zealand’s Nick Willis, and Ethiopian trio of Wote Aman, Samuel Tefera and Taresa Tolosa as well as Filip Ingebrigsten of Norway.

Africa cross country champion Celliphine Chespol is the favourite in the 3000m steeplechase. Chespol, who has a season’s best of 9:05.14 and is world under 20 champion, leads a formidable lineup which includes former world champion Hyving Kiyeng, Beatrice Chepkoech, Roseline Chepngetich, Ann Gathoni, Norah Jeruto, Purity Kirui, Caroline Tuigong and Daisy Jepkemei .

They face Commonwealth Games champion in the distance Aisha Praught of Jamaica who will be keen to show her win in Gold Coast was not a fluke. Others to look out for are Canada’s Lalonde Genevieve and Fabiennne Schlumpf of Switzerland.

Former World 800m champion Eunice Sum is entered in the two-lap race and faces a Herculean task against fellow compatriots Olympic bronze medallist Margaret Nyairera, and Emily Cherotich .The Kenyan trio have their work cut out against World and Commonwealth Games champion Caster Semenya of South Africa, Olympic silver medallist Francine Niyonsaba of Burundi and Ajee Wilson of the United States of America.

World 800m bronze medallist Kipyegon Bett enters the fray in the two lap race alongside Ferguson Rotich and Jonathan Kitilit. They will compete against World champion Pierre Ambroise of France and Eric Sowinski of the United States.

Athletics

Semenya sets world lead in 800m Prefontaine Classic

Caster Semenya produced another peerless display of middle-distance running to set a meeting record and world lead of 1:55.92 in the women’s 800m at the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene on Saturday (26), the highlight of the midde-distance action at the third meeting of the IAAF Diamond League.

The South African seized command of the race with 300m to run after covering her first lap in 57.9, well behind the pacemaker who went through in 57.25.

American Ajee Wilson finished second in the race in 1:56.86.

Baker, the world indoor bronze medallist, pulled ahead of 60 metres world-record holder and compatriot Coleman in the final 20 metres to win with an assisting wind of 2.4 metres per second.

Coleman finished second in 9.84 seconds with Britain’s Reece Prescod third in 9.88 seconds.

Semenya’s time was the fastest 800m ever run by a woman on US soil, and the 27-year-old was suitably delighted with the run. “It was an amazing race,” she said. “I saw the split was 57 so I tried to maintain 57 again.”