My apologies. Catching up on this past week of heat, humidity, storms, and then no power or Wi-Fi. Bought a generator, an AC window unit, and weather breaks. So, I’m sitting in the backyard, enjoying the chatting of Robins and Cardinals in the backyard., updating RunblogRun.
Coming as the last stop of the Diamond League meetings ahead of the Budapest World Championships, the London Diamond League presented one last time for athletes and media to finalize their notes on what to expect in Hungary.
The highly anticipated women’s 5000m race that had three big names meet for the first time this year did not disappoint as Sifan Hassan, the reigning Olympic Champion; Gudaf Tsegay, the reigning World Champion and Beatrice Chebet, the winner of the 2022 Diamond League final, clashed in a spectacular race.
Wanda Diamond League
London Athletics Meet
July 23, 2023, London, England, U.K.
Just after the pacesetters did their part, the three protagonists, who had already broken away from the rest of the field at a fast pace, followed each other in a single file, led by Hassan. The pacers had taken them through the first 1,000m in 2:51.80, 2000m in 5:42.60, and 3,000m in 8:35.18.
After Hassan led the pack of three through the 4,000m mark in 11:28.24, the last lap would determine the winner in a long thrilling finishing kick to the finish line.
Tsegay proved that she had the best kick as she overtook Hassan and held off Chebet, who apparently had the second strongest kick, to win the race in a new meeting record and personal best time of 14:12.29. Chebet came second also in a personal best time of 14:12.92. And, as a deserving reward for pacing in the race’s last stages, Hassan registered a new European record of 14:13.42 in third place.
Sage Hurta Klecker, Wanda Diamond League
London Athletics Meet
July 23, 2023, London, England, U.K.photo by Kevin Morris
Medina Eisa of Ethiopia ran a new world U20 record of 14:16.54 if fourth place ahead of USA’s Alicia Monson, who ran a new area record of 14:19.45. There were six other personal best times and one national record behind the top five finishers.
Jemma Reekie, Wanda Diamond League
London Athletics Meet
July 23, 2023, London, England, U.K., photo by Kevin Morris
In another exciting and fast race of the evening, Great Britain’s Jemma Reekie produced a great spring on the home stretch to overtake Jamaica’s Natoya Goule and Uganda’s Halimah Nakaayi to win the women’s 800m in a meeting record of 1:57.30. Goule was second in 1:57.61 while Nakaayi registered a new national record of 1:57.62 in third. Australia’s Catriona Bisset ran a new area record of 1:57.78 in fourth.
Jemma Reekie, Wanda Diamond League
London Athletics Meet
July 23, 2023, London, England, U.K., photo by Kevin Morris
Yared Nuguse of the US surprised the relatively more experienced runners, that included Kenya’s Timothy Cheruiyot, in the men’s 1500m to emerge victorious in 3:30.44, ahead of Narve Nordas in 3:30.58 and Neil Gourley in 3:30.60.
Jackline Chepkoech, Wanda Diamond League
London Athletics Meet
July 23, 2023, London, England, U.K.
Fellow Kenyan upset the world record holder, Beatrice Chepkoech, in the women’s 3000m steeplechase. Jackline Chepkoech ran down the front-running Beatrice, overtook her, and went ahead to win the race in a new meeting record, a world-leading time, and a personal best time of 8:57.35. Chepkoech was second in 9:04.34, while Britain’s Aimee Bratt took third in 9:16.10.
Jackline Chepkoech, Wanda Diamond League
London Athletics Meet
July 23, 2023, London, England, U.K., photo by Kevin Morris