World 1,500m champion Timothy Cheruiyot will renew his rivalry with Olympic 1,500m champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen at the Zurich Diamond League.
The duo, who have been battling in various championships across the world will be meeting for the 15th time with Norwegian Ingebrigtsen with Kenyan losing twice to the young star.
Ingebrigtsen has become the centre of attraction international more after beating Cheruiyot to win the Olympic title at the concluded Games in Tokyo, Japan.
The European 1500m champion was on fire during the Prefontaine Classic meet in Eugene, as he trounced Cheruiyot in 3:47.24 in a world leading, National Record and Diamond League Record which placed him as the ninth fastest outdoor performer in history.
Cheruiyot of late has been grappling with an injury and has also been nursing a sick child, factors that have also contributed to his sub-par performance.
His coach Bernard Ouma said people sometimes forget that athletes are human beings too.
“On a podium, people see athletes, others see machines that are running and have to be position one. At the back of my mind as a coach, I see a human being with social challenges as well, the family perspective and personal as well,” he said.
This race has some of the fastest runners ever assembled as the top five athletes are sub 3:30 with the rest being sub3:34 like Spaniard Mohamed Katir, Australia’s Stewart Mcsweyn and Abel Kipsang from Kenya have the fastest time on paper as they carry seasons best of 3:28.76, 3:29.51 and 3:29.56 respectively.
Others yearning for the title are Kenyan Charles Simotwo (93:30.30), Australia’s Oliver Hoare (3:33.19) Spain’s Ignacio Fontes (3:33.27) Ronald Kwemoi fromKenya (3:33.53) and Matthew Ramsden (3:34.08) from Australia.
Kenya and Australia has the highest number of athletes in this race as they both are represented by three athletes
LEADING TIME
1500M MEN
- Timothy Cheruiyot (KEN) 3:28.28
- Jacob Ingebrigtsen (NOR) 3:28.32
- Mohamed Katir (SPN) 3:28.76
- Stewart Mcsweyn (AUS) 3:29.51
- Abel Kipsang (KEN) 3:29.56
- Charles Simotwo (KEN) 3:30.30
- Oliver Hoare (AUS) 3:33.19
- Ignacio Fontes (SPN) 3:33.27
- Ronald Kwemoi (KEN) 3:33.53
- Matthew Ramsden (AUS) 3:34.08
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