Kipyegon adds Diamond League trophy to glorious season

Reigning Olympic and world champion Faith Kipyegon tore apart the women’s 1500m field en route to claiming her fourth Diamond League trophy on Saturday at the Prefontaine Classic- the final of the 2023 Diamond League circuit.

Fresh from claiming gold in Budapest, Kipyegon sealed victory in a meeting record of 3:50.72 to lift the Diamond League trophy for a third consecutive season.

“This was amazing, starting with the World Record and now winning the trophy. It has been a fantastic year for me and I really thank God for that. I didn’t watch the clock, I was just running my race and see what would happen at the finish line. So it was amazing, to run a meeting record, just fantastic.” Kipyegon said in her post-race interview.

Kipyegon’s victory in Eugene caps an outstanding season for the in-form athlete in this season's Diamond League circuit where she shattered three world records in Florence (1500m), Paris (5000m) and Monaco (mile).

Elsewhere, Simon Koech clocked 8:06.26 to reigned supreme in the men’s 3000m steeplechase race to bag his maiden Diamond League trophy.

With world champion Soufiane El Bakkali and world record holder Lamecha Girma missing out the Kenyan quartet of Koech, Abraham Kibiwott, Benjamin Kigen and Amos Serem were the outside favourites to claim victory and it was Koech who took the top honours

For the second time in as many races, the women’s 3000m steeplechase maintained the same order witnessed in last month’s World Championships in Budapest with Winfred Yavi of Bahrain claiming victory in a personal best and meeting record of 8:50.66

World record holder Beatrice Chepkoech came home second in 8:51.67 with world junior champion Faith Cherotich settling for third in a personal best of 8:59.65 as Commonwealth champion Jackline Chepkoech finished fourth in 9:01.18

Elsewhere, Commonwealth Games 100m champion Ferdinand Omanyala managed a third-place finish with 9.85 run behind Americans Christian Coleman (9.83) and Noah Lyles (9.85).

More Kenyans will be in action on Sunday with the men’s and women’s 800m and women’s 5000m finals still on the cards.