Sensational Cheruiyot Completes IAAF Diamond League Hat-Trick In Brussels

7th September 2019

The Kenyan has dominated the event this year and he produced another convincing run in the Belgian capital

Timothy Cheruiyot of Kenya poses after winning the men's 1500m during the Stockholm - 2019 Diamond League at Stockholms Olympiastadion on May 30, 2019 in Stockholm, Sweden. PHOTO/ GETTY IMAGES
Timothy Cheruiyot of Kenya poses after winning the men's 1500m during the Stockholm - 2019 Diamond League at Stockholms Olympiastadion on May 30, 2019 in Stockholm, Sweden. PHOTO/ GETTY IMAGES
SUMMARY
  • The pacemakers brought the field through 800m in 1:51.48 and 1000m in 2:20.5 with Cheruiyot tucked close behind
  • Sifan Hassan sprinted away from a field that included world champion Hellen Obiri, Kenyan 10,000m champion Agnes Tirop, German record-holder Konstanze Klosterhalfen and Ethiopian 10,000m champion Letesenbet Gidey to win the women's 5000m title
  • Kenyan athletes have won every men’s steeplechase title since the start of the IAAF Diamond League in 2010, but that streak came to an end on Friday night as Ethiopia’s Getnet Wale timed his finish to perfection

BRUSSELS, Belgium- Timothy Cheruiyot now has three Diamond trophies to his name after winning his third successive title over 1500m at the AG Memorial Van Damme in Brussels on Friday.

The Kenyan has dominated the event this year and he produced another convincing run in the Belgian capital. 

The pacemakers brought the field through 800m in 1:51.48 and 1000m in 2:20.5 with Cheruiyot tucked close behind.

READ MORE: World Champion Obiri Gunning For Diamond League Hat-Trick In Brussels

With little more than a lap left, Cheruiyot had about a six-metre lead over the chase trio comprising Jakob Ingebrigtsen, Filip Ingebrigtsen and Ronald Musagala. 

Jakob overtook his older brother to move into second place with 200 metres to go and at one point it seemed as though he may catch Cheruiyot, but the world silver medallist was too far ahead.

Cheruiyot won in 3:30.22, the fastest time at the King Baudouin Stadium since 2003. 

Jakob took second place in 3:31.62 with Filip finishing third in 3:33.33 and Musagala fourth (3:33.90).

Kenyan athletes have won every men’s steeplechase title since the start of the IAAF Diamond League in 2010, but that streak came to an end on Friday night as Ethiopia’s Getnet Wale timed his finish to perfection.

After an opening kilometre of 2:41.95, the pace dropped in the middle section but Wale and fellow Ethiopian Lamecha Girma kept the pace up over the final few laps. 

World silver medalist Soufiane El Bakkali kicked hard on the last lap and managed to pass Girma, but Wale overtook the Moroccan in the closing stages to win in 8:06.92.

 El Bakkali was second in 8:07.08 and Girma third in 8:07.66.

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Just eight days after claiming the 1500m title, Sifan Hassan secured her second IAAF Diamond League crown of 2019 by winning the 5000m.

She did so in convincing fashion too, sprinting away from a field that included world champion Hellen Obiri, Kenyan 10,000m champion Agnes Tirop, German record-holder Konstanze Klosterhalfen and Ethiopian 10,000m champion Letesenbet Gidey.

The opening pace wasn’t quite as fast as had been requested with the field being taken through 1000m in 2:55.94. 

The pacemaker dropped out one lap later, leaving Eva Cherono as the leader with the following two kilometres each covered a shade inside three minutes.

Gidey moved to the front of the pack with about a kilometre left and was joined by Obiri, Klosterhalfen and Hassan as they broke away from the rest of the field on the penultimate lap. 

They bunched together at the sound of the bell, but had no response when Hassan kicked with 300 metres remaining.

The Dutch runner, who broke the world mile record in Monaco earlier this year, dashed away from her opponents to win in 14:26.26, crossing the line three seconds ahead of her nearest rival, Gidey, who finished second in 14:29.54. Klosterhalfen was a close third in 14:29.89 while Obiri finished a few strides behind.