The races after the Olympics usually serve two
purposes for the athletes competing. Some seek to cash in on their Olympic
glory and prove that their medals were no flukes, while others seek redemption
after poor performances and look to upstage the medalists.
Many athletes were coming off Olympic hangovers
in Stockholm last week hence the not so exciting edition of this year’s DN
Galan. However this week, various athletes were primed and ready to go in the
subsequent stop-over of the Samsung Diamond League event in Lausanne,
Switzerland, a renowned track for fast times in the sprint races and ideal
conditions for great racing in the middle distances too.
It was a great night out for Kenyan athletes with
four wins in this high quality competition, bringing some joy after a tough
Olympic expedition.
Kenyan athletes looked much fresher and motivated
on the track this time round, looking to salvage what is left of the season
with some good performances.
The Kenyan 1500m duo of Silas Kiplagat and Nixon Chepseba had
disappointing finishes at the Olympics but bounced back in a fast time
trial-type setting that they typically thrive under. Kiplagat returned to his
winning ways defeating a mostly Kenyan field with Chepseba in 4thplace.
No surprises there!
Paul Kipsiele Koech missed out on the Olympics
altogether and was keen show that he was king in these types of races, winning
again in a top class time and more importantly, confirming the overall Diamond
League crown for the event. London bronze medalist Abel Mutai, however,
finished out of the podium places this time round.
Pamela Jelimo looked every bit of her former winning
self, sprightly dispatching the Russian Olympic champion Mariya Savinova in the
women’s 800 meters, begging the question as to why she didn’t utilize the same
tactics in the London final.
Mercy Cherono showed exceptional form in the
women’s 3000 meters to continue her winning streak at this event from the Monaco
leg last month. Cherono is quickly emerging as an athlete to watch as she’s
made a rapid and successful transition from junior to the senior ranks.
With the Samsung Diamond League action, aired on
Zuku Sport, continuing this weekend in Birmingham and Zurich next Thursday, a
number of Kenya’s stars will be racing as the season comes to a close.
Look out for exciting battles in the Aviva
Birmingham Grand Prix today where World champion Vivian Cheruiyot meets fellow
London medalist Sally Kipyego and the on-form Mercy Cherono in the women’s 3000
meters.
In the men’s1500 meters, Silas Kiplagat and Nixon
Chepseba get another opportunity to improve their standing against what is
largely the same field as the one they faced in Lausanne, so look out for
another sizzling run by the Kenyans.
Thursday’s Zurich event is generally considered
as one of the top Diamond League events of the circuit due to its rich history,
amazing atmosphere and big paydays. Its location as the Swiss capital of
finance enhances its prestige even further.
One of my favorite racing venues in Europe,
Zurich is one of the ideal environments for world record conquests and this
year we could see the most recent record lowered further with the return of
David Rudisha, the hero of the London Olympics, to the track.
In what should be the highlight of the meeting,
Rudisha will run the 800 meters, this time a little fresher, with the
assistance of a pacemaker, determined to be the first man under 100 second in
the event. A very exciting prospect indeed!
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