Beatrice Chebet came close to breaking the women’s 5000m world record at the Rome Diamond League, finishing in 14:03.69. Other notable performances included Andrenette Knight winning the 400m hurdles, Anavia Battle in the 200m, and Azeddine Habz edging Timothy Cheruiyot in the 1500m. Quincy Hall also had a close finish in the 400m.
On Friday at the Rome Diamond League, Kenyan runner Beatrice Chebet nearly shattered the women’s 5000 meters world record. She recorded a remarkable time of 14:03.69, just 2.5 seconds away from the world record set by Gudaf Tsegay back in 1997 at 14:00.21. This meeting record adds another impressive mark to Chebet’s growing list of achievements.
Chebet also holds the second-fastest women’s 3000 meters time ever, running 8:11.56 in Rabat last month, trailing only China’s Wang Junxia’s 1993 record of 8:06.11. This kind of performance suggests Chebet is serious about breaking records soon. “I can see that my body is in good shape and that I am capable of achieving the world record. Now I am going home to prepare for it. Everything is possible,” said the 25-year-old after her race.
In other events, Jamaican Andrenette Knight ruled the women’s 400-meter hurdles with a strong finish of 53.67 seconds. Not far behind, American Anavia Battle took the women’s 200 meters with a time of 22.53 seconds. Meanwhile, Irish runner Sarah Healey excelled in the 1500 meters, finishing in 3:59.17, showcasing the depth of talent present at the meet.
The men’s 110-meter hurdles turned out to be a thrilling contest. Swiss athlete Jason Joseph clinched victory with a time of 13.14 seconds, just edging American Cordell Tinch, who matched that time but finished second. Excitement continued in the men’s 400 meters, where American Quincy Hall crossed the line in 44.22 seconds, narrowly beating South Africa’s Zakithi Nene by only one-hundredth of a second.
Hall commented on his performance, saying, “I have been working hard. We are coming there. I want to be the best. It is coming down. You do not know about the time, but it is coming down this year.”
In the men’s 1500 meters, French runner Azeddine Habz made a tactical surge in the final moments to edge out former world champion Timothy Cheruiyot of Kenya, finishing in 3:29.72 to Cheruiyot’s 3:29.75, winning by a tiny margin. In the sprints, American Trayvon Bromell took home the gold medal in the 100 meters, clocking 9.84 seconds. In the high jump, Tokyo Olympics champion Gianmarco Tamberi didn’t make podium, as South Korea’s Woo Sanghyeok won with a jump of 2.32 meters.
Beatrice Chebet is on the brink of making history, edging closer to the women’s 5000m world record in Rome. The competition showcased top-tier performances across multiple events, with several athletes marking personal bests and proving their prowess. With a mix of excitement and anticipation at this Diamond League meet, it’s clear that the world of athletics is as thrilling as ever.
Original Source: www.straitstimes.com
