BARCELONA, Spain, August 4 – Barcelona striker Neymar has reportedly been put on a special diet by the club’s medical staff to ease signs of anemia just days after he made his debut for the club, according to Spanish newspaper El Pais.

The Brazilian international joined the Catalan giants in June for 57 million euros ($75.7 million, £49.5 million) and made his long-awaited debut last week in a 2-2 friendly draw against Lechia Gdasnk in Poland.

However, according to the paper signs of anemia were detected on his return to training after an extended summer break due to his participation in the Confederations Cup.

“Neymar is being treated by Barcelona’s doctors for signs of anemia with an adequate diet and complementary course of vitamins,” it said on Saturday without quoting a source for the story.

Barcelona were not immediately available for comment, but the club had previously confirmed that the player had his tonsils removed after leading his country to victory in the Confederations Cup.

Anemia is a treatable condition but is thought to be extremely debilitating for top athletes as a low level of hemoglobin in the blood stream can cause excessive levels of tiredness.

The news is also likely to disrupt the club’s plans to work intensively on building on the 21-year-old’s strength after club doctor Ricard Pruna expressed concerns at his slight weight of 64.5 kilos (142 lbs, 10.2 stone) when he underwent his medical.

Neymar made his home bow against old club Santos on Friday night as he played 45 minutes in Barca’s 8-0 destruction of the Brazilians and has travelled with his teammates to take part in coaching clinics in Palestine and Israel before they embark on a tour of Asia with friendlies in Thailand and Malaysia.

NAIROBI, Kenya 5 August – The Ethics and Anti Corruption Commission (EACC) have issued summons to Football Kenya Federation (FKF) officials to appear before them in relation to the corruption allegations levelled against them.

Yassin Amaro, the public relations consultant of the commission confirmed to supersport.com that the summons were issued last Friday after the investigating officer did his preliminary investigations.

“Yes I can confirm the FKF officials have been issued with summonses to appear before the EACC but I cannot specify the dates given by the investigating officer who was handling the case. Basically the federation officials are expected to give their side of the story and present documents to back up their claims,” Amaro told supersport.com.

Last month, FKF National Executive Committee member Hussein Terry presented documents to the anti corruption body citing that $410,000 had been embezzled by the federation’s chairman.

Source – Supersport.com

NAIROBI, Kenya, August 5- The upbeat Kenyan team for the 14th IAAF World Championships in Athletics that kick-off in Moscow on Saturday were among thousands of passengers stranded at Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport on Monday evening owing to a crippling fuel shortage.

According to the team’s head coach, Sammy Rono, the squad of 49 athletes and a dozen officials were asked to deplane before their scheduled Emirates flight that was due for a 4:30pm local time (+3GMT) take-off to Russia via Dubai as the airline made frantic efforts to secure them accommodation.

“The flight has been cancelled until further notice and we were told to leave the plane since we understand the pipeline that supplies fuel to the airport had a problem. We are waiting to be taken to a hotel they are looking for to accommodate the team,” the head coach told Capital FM on phone from the airport.

JKIA officials told local media that the fuel flow would be normalised in three hours with Airport Manager, Edward Kungusi, disclosing that an air lock in one of the pumps of the pipeline led to some ten aircraft waiting for take-off to be grounded as the facility was shut down.

The team was later transported to five-star Laico Regency Hotel located at the Commercial District of the Kenyan capital for an overnight stay with Rono later confirming to Capital Sport they were yet to get details on when they would finally depart for Russia.

“We have lost a day but that is not a cause of concern since the squad had completed their training programme. Many were affected by the delays so we are not in any way feeling that this will remove the focus we have to go there and do well for the country,” he added.

The squad that is seeking to defend Kenya’s position as the top African nation at the biennial track and field global showpiece after finishing third overall at the last edition in Daegu, South Korea, with seven gold, six silver and four bronze had earlier exuded confidence they would deliver at the event that kicks-off on Saturday at the Luzhniki Stadium, in the Russian capital.

The women 10,000m and marathon squads are scheduled to compete on the first day of competition when action gets underway with Rono stating the importance of getting off to a medal-laden start.

“The moment we have been waiting has arrived. We are ready and we expect good results. So far, the training has been good and we have no injuries so what is left is for them to bring medals as needed,” he added.

Three of Kenya’s six reigning World champions will defend their titles at the August 10 to 18 event namely Olympics titleholder, steeplechaser Ezekiel Kemboi, female marathoner Edna Kiplagat and reigning men 1500m crown holder, Asbel Kiprop who took the top medal two years ago in Daegu.

Of the other three Kenyan athletes who won gold medals in 2011, 800m men record holder, David Rudisha and two-time men marathon winner Abel Kirui are currently injured, while women 5000m/10000m double titleholder Vivian Cheruiyot is pregnant.

Other medal chances include Kenyan Trials 10,000m winner Bedan Karoki, double African women gold winner, Gladys Cherono, Steeplechasers Milcah Chemos and Lydia Chepkurui, and 1500m runners Faith Kipyegon and Hellen Obiri.

National record-holder and Olympic finalist Julius Yego who is the team captain, will become the first man to represent Kenya in the men Javelin at the IAAF World Championships.

NAIROBI, Kenya – Julius Yego and history have become synonymous since he won his country the men Javelin gold medal at the All Africa Games in Maputo in 2011.

His progression from a downcast teenage field athlete who shed bitter tears when Athletics Kenya (AK) declined to enter him for the 2008 World Junior Championships despite his 72.41m throw qualifying him for the competition to leading his nation’s squad for the 14th IAAF World Championships in Moscow as overall captain has been nothing short of phenomenal.

Since Maputo, Yego has gone ahead to break the national record no less than seven time, his latest best mark, 82.09m, being set last month (Jul 13) at the Trials for Moscow where once again, he eclipsed the more renowned distance running stars with the performance of the event.

Last year, he made history as the first African Javelin thrower to qualify for the Olympics final in London.

In Moscow, Yego’s expanding lists of first continues as the first ever field captain of the Kenyan squad besides being the pioneering exponent of his sport to represent his country at the biennial global showpiece.

“Everybody is happy; we are now leaving for Moscow. We have been doing well in training, no issues and we are so happy that the time has come for us to go there.

“We are not putting ourselves under any pressure. Pressure can cause you to lose and we are not thinking about what happened in 2011, this is another year, some who were in Daegu are we us, we are under no pressure, we want there to do our best,” the skipper said before the team finally departed on the second attempt on Tuesday following a fuel outage that saw their Monday flight to Moscow via Dubai cancelled.

“This will not affect our spirits, so many other passengers were caught up in the mess and although we missed a whole day, we are still motivated to perform,” Yego, 24, said of the more than 14-hour delay.

For him, being given the responsibility to succeed injured world men 800m record holder, David Rudisha, as the overall captain of the Kenyan team represents another feather in his ever expanding cap.

“It’s an honour and pleasure to be the captain of the athletics team. I have to thank my fellow athletes who proposed me and everybody accepted. This is the first time we have a field athlete as a captain and I’m honoured for that.”

Yego moved to allay fears that the squad that is shorn of three of the six world champions who won seven gold medals, Rudisha, Abel Kirui (men marathon) and double world women titleholder, Vivian Cheruiyot among other experienced athletes would not scale the heights when competition gets underway on Saturday.

“Even if Rudisha, Kirui and Vivian are not there, the team is ready and those guys who are there are going to score. In fact, I know they will win and cause surprises and everyone will be asking, what is happening?” he effused.

As the figure head of a team that has continued being the major stars at the biennial global competition for decades, it is not lost to Yego that like former skippers, Rudisha (2011 and 2012), Richard Mateelong (2010) and Wilfred Bungei (2008) before him; the captain is expected by example and deliver the top medal.

“Of course, I would like to be like those guys and lead from the front but for me, I’m praying that I first make the final and win the gold for Kenya. It’s my first time at the World Championships and as a captain and to bring the gold medal home would be a dream,” he stated.

Head coach, Sammy Rono, who is leading the squad to the World Championships for the first time, tipped his captain to leave an impression in Russia in a field where Kenya is not known to excel.

“You saw him break the national record during the Trials and the way he has been training and conducting himself as my captain tells me that he has the capability to get to the medals and lead from the front.

“He was the most suited for the role in the group we are taking to Moscow,” Rono added.

Yego will be assisted by the women 800m world champion from 2007, Janeth Jepkosgei, who will be making her fourth straight Worlds appearance.

NAIROBI, August 7- Debutant Valentine Kipketer Jepkorir, 20, could miss the dream chance to represent her beloved country at the World Championships in Moscow on Saturday after the female marathoner missed her Emirates Airlines flight out to Russia via Dubai on Wednesday evening owing to the fire that razed Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) causing its shut down.

The Stanchart Mumbai Marathon titleholder who ran her 2:24:33 lifetime best whilst winning the event on January 20 is holed up at a Nairobi hostel awaiting her fate as her manager struggles to get her to travel and beat the entry deadline for the event after she was left behind by her teammates on Tuesday morning when she over-slept after yet another Monday Emirates flight was cancelled owing to a fuel outage at JKIA that grounded all flights.

Two Kenyan born Bahraini athletes also on their way to Moscow were also affected but they still have time to make it to Moscow since their events start later after the opening day on Saturday where Jepkorir is expected to start at 1300Hrs (+3GMT) local time.

Her sorry plight points at inept management by Athletics Kenya (AK) appointed team officials, who were with her at a five-star Nairobi hotel where they were moved after being ordered out of the plane on Monday after she was left behind sleeping as the rest went on to board their alternative flight, no one contacting her to alert her of the re-scheduled call time since she was allocated a room alone.

“I was to travel with the rest of the team on Tuesday, but I overslept. When I woke up there was nobody at the hotel,” the shattered athlete said when news filtered through JKIA had been shut down after the early morning fire.

“I thought all athletes had left for training, but I was shocked to find out that they had left without me. I tried calling the coach (Sammy Rono) but it was no use. He was not within reach,” Jepkorir who was second in Hamburg last year and was a first timer in the Kenyan set-up added wondering how no official in the team including Team Manager, Bernard Njoga or head coach, Sammy Rono, who are duty bound to maintain a roster of athletes under their watch attempted to contact her.

AK Vice President Paul Mutwii confirmed that Kipketer was due to fly out on Wednesday night although latest reports indicated passenger planes had not been cleared to use the airport at the time following the blaze.

“It was sad that she did not travel with the team. But again when we have rescheduled her flight, disaster strikes. I hope normalcy will be seen and she will join the team in Moscow latest Friday,” he said.

Kipketer is in the women marathon squad alongside defending champion Edna Kiplagat, former Dubai marathon silver medallist Lucy Kabuu and Margaret Agai.

At the same time two Bahrain athletes, who were camping in Iten, were left with no choice but to postpone their trip as they fire caught the airport in Nairobi.

The duo was forced to look for alternative means of transport after flights from the Eldoret International Airport to the JKIA were cancelled.

Steeplechaser Tareq Mubarak and 10,000m Hassan Mahbub were expected to be in the Russian capital Thursday to join their camp in preparation for Worlds.

“My race was scheduled for the 12th and I feel I have been inconvenienced since I required to be settled and get enough rest to participate well in the championships,” stated Tareq.

The athletes expressed their displeasure at the cancellation of services explaining that his colleague Mahbub was to have his race on Saturday and the delay may affect his performance.

He however, expressed optimism that normalcy would resume in the major airport to ensure that air traffic does not inconvenience passengers and cargo.

NAIROBI, Kenya, August 10- Edna Kiplagat made history in Moscow to give Kenya a flying start when she became the first woman to retain the women’s marathon world title in 2:25:44 as action got underway at the 14th edition of the global showpiece on Saturday.

Kiplagat, 32, who failed to add the Olympics crown to the world title she won in Daegu last year, was involved in a titanic battle with Italian Valeria Straneo who led the race from 5km until the last two when the Kenyan surged ahead and sped off to her second crown at Moscow’s Luzhniki Stadium.

Her epic victory reverberated to her home in Iten where a crowd had gathered to cheer on their local hero led by husband and coach, Gilbert Koech, who did not travel with her to Russia after he was denied accreditation.

“We are so happy, we shall party so hard, her hard work has paid off, God has brought what we did not win in London, I’m so proud of her, let the party begin,” Koech, a former Las Vegas and San Antonio marathon champion who shelved his career to coach his wife in 2009 told Capital Sport.

“There are so many people at our home and for her to do what she has done considering it was very tough against her (Straneo) brings us so much joy,” a relieved Koech, who like the entire watching world sat glued as the gold and silver winner engaged in a battle of wits to the end added.

Straneo, who won the second medal in 2:25:58, moved to the lead by 5km and led through to 40km (2:18:22) when Kiplagat pulled alongside and moved to the lead after shadowing the Italian from the halfway mark to that point.

It was still up in the air until a kilometre later when another surge from Kiplagat failed to elicit a response from the Italian allowing the runner-up at this year’s London Marathon to enter the Luzhniki for what was a victorious lap of honour and a date with history books.

She becomes the second Kenyan female athlete after Catherine Ndereba (2003 and 2007) to win the women’s marathon world title twice.

Japan’s Kayoko Fukushi (2:27:45) came for bronze ahead of compatriot Ryoko Kizaki (2:31:28) as the Asian nation enjoyed a strong performance in the event.

Earlier in the men 800m heats, Jeremiah Mutai (1:50.17) took the undesired honour as the first Kenyan to crash out of Moscow 2013 after he finished a disappointing seventh in the fourth preliminary.

Teammates, Olympics semifinalist, Anthony Chemut and Ferguson Rotich navigated through to the semis by finishing second, with the latter coming behind Ethiopia’s front runner, World Indoor champion, Mohammed Aman.

RESULTS
1 Edna Ngeringwony Kiplagat KEN 2:25:44
2 Valeria Straneo ITA 2:25:58 SB
3 Kayoko Fukushi JPN 2:27:45
4 Ryoko Kizaki JPN 2:31:28
5 Alessandra Aguilar ESP 2:32:38
6 Emma Quaglia ITA 2:34:16 SB
7 Madaí Pérez MEX 2:34:23 SB
8 Hye-Gyong Kim PRK 2:35:49
9 Deena Kastor USA 2:36:12 SB

MOSCOW, August 11 – Ethiopian Tirunesh Dibaba produced an effortless masterclass in middle-distance running to win a third world 10,000m title at the World Athletics Championships on Sunday.

Dibaba clocked 30min 43.37sec, with Gladys Cherono of Kenya taking silver (30:45.17), and Ethiopia’s Belaynesh Oljira claiming bronze (30:46.98).

Dibaba can rightly be lauded as queen of the 10km event, having also won two Olympic golds over the distance.

The 27-year-old missed the Daegu worlds in 2011 because of injury but has never lost in her 10 outings over 25 laps of the track.

The self-proclaimed “baby-faced destroyer”, a nickname she professes to adore, comes in the mould of male compatriots, Haile Gebrselassie and Kenenisa Bekele.

Four world golds (5,000m in 2003 and 2005, 10,000m in 2005 and 2007), three Olympic golds (the double in 2008 and 10,000m gold in 2012) as well as two 5,000m Olympic bronzes (2004 and 2012) is testimony to her dominance.

She also has four golds and two silvers from the world cross-country championships.

“I wasn’t anxious and I didn’t feel any pressure,” said the cool Dibaba, downplaying the fact she would not be going for the double.

“I have competed in the world championships many times and this is my fifth gold medal.

“I’m not disappointed I’m not going for the double because we have many young talented runners in our federation and they need their chance, too.”

The race itself played directly into Dibaba’s hands, American Shalane Flanagan taking up the early running, followed by Japan’s Hitomi Niiya, with Oljira and Dibaba close on their tails.

The Kenyan trio did not feature the 2011 world champion Vivian Cheruiyot, who is on maternity leave from the sport, but Emily Chebet, Cherono and Sally Chepyego were a powerful threesome on the track all the same.

After five laps, a 10-strong pack had developed with the field strung out, lightning flashes and peels of thunder ripping over the Luzhniki Stadium.

Flanagan, the 2008 Olympic bronze medallist, took them through the 3km mark in 9:20.85 as the rain began to fall before Niiya hit out on her own.

She was soon reeled in by the pack, the 32-year-old Flanagan falling off the pace and Dibaba sitting on the Japanese runner’s shoulder through the halfway marker.

Although the pace was anything but electrifying, the pack was now cut to Niiya leading Dibaba and Oljira, the Kenyan trio and Bahrain’s Ethiopian-born Shitaye Eshete.

Chepyego and Eshete were next to fall off the Japanese’s pace-setting, Dibaba looking completely untroubled.

The rain eased off as the storm worked its way around the stadium and with two laps to go Niiya still had the lead.

At 600 metres, Dibaba and Oljira briefly communicated and on the bell, the former bolted.

She was chased down the back stretch by Cherono, the 2012 African champion over both 5000m and 10,000m making her debut at a global championship at the age of 30, but to no avail as the Ethiopian held out for a very comfortable win.

Nairobi, Kenya 12 August – Safaricom on Monday awarded the Deaflympics medalists a Kshs.12.8 million award, following their outstanding performance in the just concluded 22nd Summer Deaflympics games in Sofia Bulgaria Deaflympics.

Simon Kibai Cherono with 3 gold medals in the 1,500,5,000 and 10,000 meter events was the biggest winner of the day with a Kshs.4 million cheque; 1 million shillings for each gold medal and an extra million for lowering the record in the 10,000 meters race.

Another big winner was Beryl Achieng who doubled her pay cheque to Kshs. 2 million for lowering the world junior time over the 200 meters distance.

Daniel Kiptum received Kshs. 2.2 Million shillings for winning one gold medal and two silvers while Baxton Menjo took home Kshs.1.9 million for winning gold, silver and bronze in the 3000, 1500 and 800 meters respectively.

Other winners include Peter Toroitich who got Kshs. 900,000, Lucas Wandia-Kshs. 600,000 and bronze medalists David Kipkosgei, Rebecca Matiko, Michael Leting and David Wamura who received Kshs.300,000 each.

Speaking during the award ceremony, Safaricom CEO Bob Collymore congratulated the winners for their outstanding performance.

“With each medal you won, and with your participation you made Kenya proud. Safaricom is particularly honored because we believed in you and you have brought back excellent results. I would like to encourage the amateurs to continue training really hard as such a journey needs regular intense practice,” he said.

Chairman of the Deaf Athletics Association of Kenya, Jones Kirui thanked Safaricom for their participation as it was a great incentive for the players to even perform better in the future. He said, “With this kind of awards, everybody will work harder next time and Kenya will continue being on the fore front of these competitions. Thank you very much Mr. Collymore”.

Kenya received a total 17 medals which include six gold, five silver and six bronze, placing the team in the 8th position globally out of 72 countries that took part in the competition and 1st in Africa.

The team surpassed their Taipei medal performance where the Kenya team bagged seven medals which including four gold. At position 35 globally, South Africa was the second placed country in Africa with two silver and one bronze medal.

The Deaflympics Games which take place every four years are globally contested by Deaf and the Hard-of-Hearing athletes in different disciplines including athletics, football, basketball, volleyball and swimming.

The Deaf Athletics Team proceeded to Sofia – Bulgaria for the Deaflympic Games on 26th of July. Safaricom had pledged to award the medalists based on their performance as follows: Kshs.1,000,000 for every gold medal won, Kshs. 600,000 for every silver medal won and Kshs. 300,000 for every bronze medal won. The Telco also sponsored the team’s trials and training camp at the Nyayo National Stadium.

MOSCOW, Russia 13 August – I took this picture with one of five remote-controlled cameras I’d set up by the side of the track to capture the race winner from various angles and perspectives. Of course, I didn’t know for sure who’d win, but when I was setting up the gear it seemed like a fair bet to focus on Usain Bolt’s lane!

The remote-controlled camera that took this picture was the fifth of my rig, set pretty far back, about 30 metres, from the finish line. The idea was to make a photo of the winner with his arms raised and with the stadium in the background, as well as capturing a little bit of the sky. I was thinking more along the lines of an enduring feature photograph, rather than your typical news shot.

When Bolt did win, he seemed somewhat unemotional as he crossed the finish line, only really reacting a moment later. Still, I of course fired all of my cameras – the one in my hands and the remote-controlled devices that can be operated with a foot switch.

My hand-held shots are transmitted directly to AFP’s photo editors, while those from the remote-controlled device go straight to my laptop. I started looking through these images one at a time – there were a few decent shots on the first four cameras. Then I opened up the pictures from the final camera.

I admit, with only a thumbnail view at first, I didn’t even see the lightning in the background, but after a moment I saw four photos with the bolt in the sky. Two of these weren’t usable because the cloud was too dark and the lightning was hard to see. But with the other two images, thanks to a little luck, the lightning is nice and visible; I’d gotten “the” shot.

It’s of course the lightning that makes the photo, because we’re talking about Usain Bolt here. Without the flash in the sky, it wouldn’t really be anything that special. I knew it was a good shot, but I didn’t anticipate the amount of reaction it would get.

Let’s be honest: the only things I was able to control were the framing of the shot and when to hit the remote-controlled trigger. The flash of lightning -– well, of course that can’t be planned, even if the stormy sky had been rumbling for 20 minutes and all of us photographers were trying to capture a lightning bolt.

This was, I think, a once-in-a-lifetime moment. In my 25 years as a photographer I’ve never had an uncontrollable external element make a photo like this, and I imagine if I tried again for a similar result for the next 50 years, it wouldn’t happen again. So, I only really give myself credit for one percent of this picture!

Photo and Story by Olivier Morin

MOSCOW, Russia, August 13- Pythons mesmerise their prey. Snake charmers mesmerise pythons. It’s time for the finalists in the men’s 5000m to decide whether they are snake charmers or snake prey.

Inevitably, Mo Farah is the snake. Nothing personal, of course, he is a very personable fellow as well as a great runner. But as the likes of Sebastian Coe and Steve Cram have been pointing out recently, he has his opponents bluffed, or mesmerised if you like, into thinking he cannot be beaten.

So there are only two choices for the other 14 runners who made Friday night’s 5000m final out of Tuesday morning’s heats. Do they want to at least try to be the snake charmer, or do they remain the helpless prey?

We might have seen the start of the answer when Farah came out for the second heat. The Kenyan pair Isiah Koech and Edwin Soi and Ethiopia’s Muktar Edris all tried to discomfort Farah over the last 2000m.

Although Farah and Galen Rupp led for much of these last five laps, they were forced to increase the pace lap by lap. From five laps out, the successive 400m stints went 62.97, 62.18, 61.08, 59.27 and, finally, 57.16. This was no walk in the park.

Ultimately, Edris sprinted clear of Soi and Koech to win the heat in 13:20.82. Rupp and Farah were fourth and fifth, taking the last two automatic qualifying spots in 13:23.91 and 13:23.93, respectively.

Given he has already run the 10,000m, whether this has taken anything out of Farah ahead of the 5000m final remains to be seen on Friday night. But if his opponents are going to start softening him up, then three laps before the finish of the final is NOT the time to start. It had to start in the heats.

If they wanted precedent, they needed only to study Luzhniki Stadium’s history and how Jurgen Straub of the former East Germany preyed on Steve Ovett in the heats of the 1500m. Ovett was coming back from the 800m final, but Straub knew he had an unbeaten record over three years of 1500m. He made the heat tough, Ovett’s pride drove him to win it, and that may have softened him up for the final – who knows?

Whatever the reason, the final result went Coe first, Straub second and Ovett third.

Hagos Gebrhiwet and Yenew Alamirew went 1-2 in the first heat. South Africa’s Elroy Gelant, Germany’s Arne Gabius and Zane Robertson of New Zealand combined to ensure a solid early pace, but there were still 13 men in a line at 3000m in 8:09.07.

Aziz Lahbabi of Morocco led at that point before ultimately fading back to 13th place and out of final contention.

Australia’s Brett Robinson dashed into the lead with two laps to go, triggering the ultimate charge to the line.

Gebrhiwet got home first in 13:23.22, a metre or so ahead of Alamirew, 13:23.48, and Bernard Lagat, who again found a way to glide through all the surges unruffled, 13:23.59. The US veteran will become the oldest ever 5000m finalist at the World Championships.

Longosiwa, along with Lagat’s US teammate Ryan Hill, took the final two automatic qualifying places with Gelant, Robinson and Zane Robertson all being rewarded for their initiative by advancing on times along with Sindre Buraas of Norway.

John Kipkoech of Kenya had a nightmare run, managing to fall once and almost fall again with two laps to run on the way to finishing 10th in 13:31.21. He then missed the last non-automatic qualifying spot by a few seconds. Dejene Regassa of Bahrain, sixth in the second heat, also went through on times with 13:25.21.

So, 14 men have some thinking to do. Of course, whatever they decide may not work out. Snake charmers sometimes get bitten, too.

QUALIFICATION SUMMARY

1 Muktar Edris ETH 13:20.82 Q
2 Edwin Soi KEN 13:21.44 Q
3 Isiah Kiplangat KEN 13:22.19 Q
4 Hagos Gebrhiwet ETH 13:23.22 Q
5 Yenew Alamirew ETH 13:23.48 Q
6 Bernard Lagat USA 13:23.59 Q
7 Galen Rupp USA 13:23.91 Q
8 Mohamed Farah GBR 13:23.93 Q
9 Thomas Longosiwa KEN 13:23.94 Q
10 Ryan Hill USA 13:24.19 Q
11 Elroy Gelant RSA 13:25.07 q
12 Dejene Regassa BRN 13:25.21 q SB
13 Brett Robinson AUS 13:25.38 q
14 Sindre Buraas NOR 13:26.69 q
15 Zane Robertson NZL 13:27.89 q

NAIROBI, Kenya, August 13- Finally gold was the hue for the jubilant Milcah Chemos after sailing to her first world title at the third time of asking on Tuesday night at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow to give Kenya their second top medal of the competition.

Without home favourite, Mariya Zarapova, the holder of the Olympics and world titles heading to Moscow 2013, injured in training days before the start, Chemos ran a tactical masterclass, never exerting herself unnecessarily until the final 50m when she tore away from compatriot and former pacemaker, Lidya Chepkurui to stop the clock in a World Leading 9:11.65 as her rabbit turned competitor got rewarded with silver and a career best 9:12.55.

Ethiopia’s Hiwot Ayalew (9:12.84) completed an East African podium shut-out for the first time at the event as Chemos bagged the first world title in a race where their male counterparts have dominated for decades.

Having taken the third medal at the Berlin 2009 and Daegu 2011 editions as well as fourth at the London Olympics, the three-time Diamond League winner fulfilled her favourite role to perfection at a packed Luzhniki that was acclaiming their poster girl, Yelena Isinbayeva who also came through with the world crown in the women Pole vault.

Ayalew took the field through the first 1000m in 3:01.72 before Chemos, a front runner by choice took over proceedings from the fourth lap and crossed the 6000m looking comfortable in 6:11.36. At the bell, Chepkurui was the closest in attendance as the other Ethiopian favourite, Sofia Assefa, tripped over a hurdle and after the final water jump, it was apparent gold and silver were headed to Kenya.

Chepkurui attempted to up

LEADING RESULTS

1 Milcah Chemos KEN 9:11.65 WL
2 Lidya Chepkurui KEN 9:12.55 PB
3 Sofia Assefa ETH 9:12.84 SB
4 Hiwot Ayalew ETH 9:15.25 SB
5 Etenesh Diro ETH 9:16.97 SB
6 Hyvin Kiyeng KEN 9 :22.05 PB
7 Valentyna Zhudina UKR 9:33.73
8 Antje Möldner-SchmidtGER 9:34.06
9 Gesa Felicitas Krause GER 9:37.11 SB
10 Eilish McColgan GBR 9:37.33

MOSCOW, Russia, August 15 – Kenyan showman Ezekiel Kemboi won his third 3000 metres steeplechase world title in convincing style at the World Athletics Championships in Moscow on Thursday.

The 31-year-old two-time Olympic champion timed 8min 06.01sec to take gold while compatriot Conseslus Kipruto took silver in 8:06.37 and France’s two-time Olympic silver medallist Mahiedine Mekhissi was third in 8:07.86.

“It’s good to be the king,” said Kemboi.

Kipruto was left devastated despite his second place at the age of just 18, saying: “I am so disappointed, I can’t even talk.”

Meanwhile, Mekhissi, who also won bronze two years ago, admitted that he was finding it hard to cope with the pressure.

“In the French team I am under a lot of stress and pressure, but I have to deal with it the best I can,” said the 28-year-old.

“I had to settle for bronze again but it is never easy to win one. I am on the podium and that’s what counts.”

Kemboi, also a three-time world silver medallist, had taken the lead at the bell, but dropped back entering the back straight after being elbowed by team-mate Kipruto, who also signalled something was up as he raised his arm angrily.

Mekhissi made his move at that moment cruising into second, but just as it seemed he might finally get the better of his close friend Kemboi he stumbled on landing after the third-from-last steeple.

Kemboi saw his chance and went wide to pass the Frenchman and then Kipruto rounding the final bend.

Kemboi, sporting a new Mohican style haircut, had a clear lead approaching the final obstacle and any hope Kipruto had of catching him ended as the 18-year-old made a mess of hurdling it.

It left his older team-mate to drift out wide on the track in his traditional style and cross the line pointing his finger derisively behind him.

Kemboi celebrated in his usual offbeat style, pulling up his team vest to reveal a message in Swahili written on a T-shirt and then dancing a jig in front of the photographers.

“Today it was good to have the same hairstyle as at the Olympics,” he said.

“I am wearing a t-shirt with a dedication to the President of Kenya (Uhuru Kenyatta) because I support him.”

He and Mekhissi – whose arms the Kenyan jumped into in a highly unusual celebration after winning Olympic gold last year – kept their post-race performance more muted although Kemboi went over and shook hands.

However, their close friendship shone at the medals ceremony.

Both simultaneously bit their gongs and, while Kipruto couldn’t wait to get away, the other two clowned around with Kemboi climbing not stepping on to the podium and continually pointing at his Mohican.

They both then climbed down with arms around each other’s waists grinning broadly, while Kipruto’s expression could best be described as stoney-faced.

MOSCOW, Russia, August 18- Russian hearts were broken inside the Luzhniki Stadium as the home favourite Mariya Savinova, known as ‘the chess player’, was tactically out-manoeuvred by the unheralded Kenyan Eunice Sum in an absorbing final.

Sum, the nearest pursuer to long-time leader Alysia Johnson Montano, ran a clever race to stave off the challenge from Savinova down the home straight to pull off one of the biggest surprises of the championships. She smashed her personal best – which was 1:59.13 prior to the final – by nearly two seconds to defeat the Russian by 0.42 in a time of 1:57.38.

The fast-finishing Brenda Martinez also set a personal best of 1:57.91 for bronze to earn the USA’s first ever medal in this event at the World Championships. The courageous Montano, who had led for 750m of the race, suffered the despair of fourth. Yet today was all about a Kenyan woman called Sum.

Savinova looked composed at the start when her name was announced to a near-full house crowd, who then chanted her name rhythmically, generating an atmosphere which must have given the Olympic champion goose bumps.

Predictably, Montano – who loves to play the rabbit – burst into the lead and passed 200m in 26.80, already holding a five-metre advantage from Sum.

This pattern of the race continued for the next 200m as Montano further stretched her lead out to eight metres from Sum with a further four-metre gap back to the main bunch led by Czech Lenka Masna and followed by Natalia Lupu of Ukraine with Savinova back in fifth.

Down the back stretch for the second time Montano still held a huge lead but her stride was gradually shortening, while Sum and the rest of the pack – now led by Savinova – were starting to close.

Around the final bend, the US long-time leader still held a three-metre advantage but was finally starting to pay the price for her ferocious first-lap pace. Sum was second on the inside with Savinova half a stride behind the Kenyan on her outside looking ready to pounce in trademark fashion.

Yet as Montano’s challenge finally wilted and Savinova was about to strike, Sum appeared to find a second wind and started to forge ahead. Roared to the rafters by a passionate home crowd, many expected Savinova to rise to the challenge, but instead it was the 25-year-old Kenyan, who prior to Moscow had not competed in an 800m this year outside of her own country, who was pulling ahead.

Entering the final 20m it was clear that Sum, a World Championships semi-finalist at the 2011 edition, would triumph which she did in a personal best.

Savinova, who seemed to be running through treacle in the final few strides, hung on for silver while Martinez, who had been back in seventh at the bell, powered through on the inside to snatch bronze.

An exhausted Montano dived for the line and toppled over an agonising fourth for the second successive World Championships.

The second Russian, Olympic bronze medallist Ekaterina Poistogova, placed fifth in a season’s best of 1:58.05 with teenager Ajee Wilson – and definitely one for the future – setting a US junior record of 1:58.21 in sixth.

Lupu placed seventh with Masna back in eighth.

(VIDEOS COURTESY OF IAAF)

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa 20 August – South Africa’s Paralympic sprint star Oscar Pistorius is trying to negotiate an out-of-court compensation deal with the parents of his slain lover Reeva Steenkamp, a local newspaper said Tuesday.

Lawyers for Pistorius, who goes on trial in March on murder charges for shooting dead Steenkamp, are mulling a settlement for emotional stress and loss of income, The Times reported.

They reportedly want the matter settled before trial opens on March 3 next year.

The Steenkamp family lawyer Petrus de Bruyn confirmed discussions were under way, but refused to give details.

“We have both said that we are in talks with each other and that’s all we are prepared to say,” he told AFP.

The paper said Pistorius’s lawyer Kenny Oldwage had also spoken of talks with the Steenkamp family.

But when contacted by AFP, Oldwage said: “I am not aware of these discussions and I can’t comment.”

Steenkamp and her half-brother had financially supported their parents, who are pensioners.

The support had included paying rent for their house in the southern coastal city of Port Elizabeth.

The parents are reportedly planning to lodge a civil suit claiming three million rand ($300,000) in damages.

The 26-year-old Pistorius wept and prayed in court on Monday before being served with his indictment for murder and given his trial date.

Steenkamp, a blonde cover girl and law graduate who would have turned 30 on Monday, died in the bathroom of Pistorius’s upmarket Pretoria home in the early hours of February 14.

The double amputee athlete known as “Blade Runner”, who is currently out on bail, has admitted to killing Steenkamp but denied murder, saying he shot her through a locked bathroom door because he believed she was an intruder.

Prosecutors will argue he is guilty of premeditated murder.

NAIROBI, Kenya, August 26- Gor Mahia’s tactician Bobby Williamson reserved grovelling praise for his players after charging from 2-0 down to hold archrivals AFC Leopards in his first ‘Mashemeji’ derby on Sunday.

Goals from Noah Wanyama and a Paul Were screamer set Ingwe on their way to a first victory over K’Ogalo in five games but a ‘customary’ Dan Sserunkuma finish and David Owino’s well placed leveller saw the sides share spoils in a pulsating encounter at Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani.

“I am relieved we got a point which is important than none and I would like to thank my players who fought relentlessly despite being two goals down. The players showed maturity and never panicked even when they conceded,” Williamson told SuperSport.com.

“We will ensure we make amends on the mistakes that led to the two goals but I am happy with the general performance which was great and the fans who gave us massive support during the entire game even when we were down,” he added.

The Scotsman emphasised that his side was on track to winning its first title since 1995 saying they are getting closer with nine matches to go after they opened up an eight-point lead over second placed Ulinzi Stars with a point.

“We expect to maintain our form in the league and win the rest of our matches since our major aim this season is to win the league title which I believe is possible,” the coach who took over from Croat Zradvko Logarusic stressed.

Ingwe’s title hopes took a severe blow after Luc Eymael’s side failed to hold on to a commanding 2-0 lead with half an hour to go despite climbing to third as the rest of the league took a breather to pave way for the derby.

Belgian Eymael made headlines ahead of the encounter with doubts about his future at Leopards but returned to give the club a timely boost after reportedly departing the side without leave.

“We deserved to win the game but we lost concentration towards the end. We will fight to the end,” the Ingwe boss said after the encounter.

Gor are scheduled to travel to Awendo to visit their ‘B-side’ Sony Sugar although in the past, the encounter has been held elsewhere due to security concerns over the tiny Awendo Green Stadium while Leopards have another tricky clash against champions Tusker at Kasarani to look forward to.

Ulinzi who have roared back to the title race face unpredictable Mathare United in Nakuru.

MANCHESTER, England, August 27 – Wayne Rooney may have played his way out of a transfer to Chelsea after a committed display in Manchester United’s 0-0 draw against their Premier League rivals on Monday.

Rooney has been the subject of two failed bids from Chelsea in recent weeks, but he was one of few impressive players on a night when the season’s first major head-to-head clash failed to live up to its billing.

The England striker’s performance, in which he tested visiting goalkeeper Petr Cech on three occasions, prompted Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho to admit that he could miss out on a move for the 27-year-old.

“I think probably now he thinks he wants to stay,” Mourinho told Sky Sports. “If that is his decision, we will respect that and say it is over.”

Rooney’s display, and Mourinho’s subsequent declaration, will have cheered David Moyes after his first home game as United manager, even though he saw his side refused a second-half penalty following an apparent handball by Frank Lampard.

“I thought we played very well, but couldn’t get the final cross in to get the final chance in front of goal,” Moyes said.

“I didn’t have a great view of the penalty claims, but I think it’s still a situation where the referees don’t know what is handball and what isn’t.”

Mourinho provided a provocative touchline presence and was goaded throughout on his return to Old Trafford as Chelsea coach, but his team rarely threatened ahead of Friday’s UEFA Super Cup against Bayern Munich.

“We play to win but if we don’t win, we don’t lose, and I think the players understand this completely,” Mourinho said.

“Both teams gave everything and I think towards the end, my players went for the defensive position and to get the point.”

The point was enough to send Chelsea top of the nascent standings, but they have played a game more than the rest and United can draw level with them if they win at Liverpool on Sunday.

Rooney’s inclusion in United’s starting XI, for the first time since April, caused the evening’s first ripple of excitement, but Mourinho’s team selection was every bit as eye-catching.

The Portuguese named a team without a recognised striker, deploying Andre Schuerrle up front ahead of Oscar, Eden Hazard and Kevin De Bruyne, and leaving Fernando Torres and Romelu Lukaku on the bench.

Moyes could not have picked a more high-profile opponent for his first turn in the Old Trafford dug-out, or a more glorious evening, but the fare on the newly laid pitch was disappointing.

Twice, Oscar shot straight at United goalkeeper David de Gea, while United’s best chance of the first half saw Robin van Persie deceive half the stadium into thinking a goal had been scored with a snapshot that ruffled the side-netting.

Rooney, for his part, looked determined to influence the game, despite Chelsea’s fans mischievously taking up their United counterparts’ chants of “Rooney!” and pledging: “We’ll see you next week!”

Playing in support of Van Persie, he constantly dropped deep to demand the ball, but when he managed to find space on the edge of the box with a smart turn, his shot lacked the power to trouble Cech.

Chelsea were content for their hosts to attack them, but the tactic almost back-fired in the 56th minute when Rooney found Danny Welbeck inside the box, only for the England forward to poke the ball wide.

In response, Gary Cahill tested De Gea’s handling with a meaty drive from distance, but Mourinho decided his team needed a greater cutting edge and sent on Torres for De Bruyne.

For all the enmity between the sides, the game lacked bite, but United appeared to have cause to feel aggrieved when referee Martin Atkinson failed to award a penalty after Tom Cleverley’s shot struck Lampard on the hand.

Rooney raised the biggest cheer of the night with a full-bodied sliding tackle to dispossess Ramires, before giving Cech his last and most searching examination of the night with a powerful drive from 30 yards.

LONDON, England, August 27- Jose Mourinho has given Wayne Rooney 48 hours to go public about his desire to leave Manchester United for Chelsea — or he will switch his attention to another striking target.

The Chelsea manager has had two bids for the United forward rejected this summer and had stated before Monday’s 0-0 draw between the two clubs that he would return with a third offer after the match.

But now the Portuguese said he believes Rooney will stay with the Premier League champions and told the 27-year-old it is up to him to force a move if he wants to join Chelsea.

And he has given Rooney a deadline to “finish” the story — either by revealing his desire to leave Old Trafford or by committing his future to United.

“This club must be a very special club because at every club in the world, when the player wants to leave they [the fans] don’t support him,” Mourinho said.

“When a player wants to leave they give him a hard time but [here] they support him all the way so I think this is a real special club with special fans so he decides that he wants to stay. If that is his decision then we will be the first to respect that.

“It depends on this, it depends on his reaction, it depends on his feelings. If now, he does not want to leave, we are out of the scene – but we need to know what is happening.

“We are going to [sign] another player if he is not coming. If he is not coming, I want to close another player. How long will we wait? 24, 48 hours.”

And Mourinho insisted he only pursued Rooney because the striker had privately made it clear he wanted to join Chelsea.

“He told somebody who is very important in his career,” added the former Inter Milan and Real Madrid manager, who said the ball is now in Rooney’s court.

“The person that started the story has to finish the story,” he explained.

“A club like us, a manager like me, the people that work in the club with me… we are not silly to try to get a player from a big club that doesn’t sell what they don’t want to sell.

“We are not silly to try something if somebody didn’t start it. So I think it is time for the good of everyone to finish the story. For one side, for the other side.”

-By Soccernet.com

NAIROBI, Kenya, August 28- Kenya Rugby Union (KRU) boss, Mwangi Muthee, has cooled reports appearing in a section of the press that immediate former South Africa head coach, Paul Treu, has been appointed as the new man at the helm of the national sevens side.

“Kindly treat those as rumours. I will make a comprehensive statement on the appointment of our new coach on Friday,” Muthee, who declined to confirm of deny the man who has led the Blitzbokke for eight years was in line to replace Englishman Mike Friday who was sacked after the Rugby Sevens World Cup in Moscow.

Treu, who coached the South Africans for eight seasons the country’s longest serving national coach, won 14 tournaments on the HSBC World Series in this time as well as one IRB World Series title.

His contract is due to end in October and it is unlikely to be renewed by the South African Rugby Union.

The popular coach, who has been linked with the USA as well as Kenya following his announcement after the World Cup in Russia that he would not continue in the role, led Blitzbokke to the quarters of a tournament where Kenya featured in the semis.

Treu is known to be a master tactician and has implemented great structures in Sevens rugby in the country, even though he is not always able to call on the best players as Sevens falls below the Super Rugby format in the pecking order and teams are often unwilling to release their players for Sevens duty.

He followed Faamoni Lalomilo (Samoa), Ben Ryan (England), Friday and Alex Magleby (USA) in vacating from his position.

“I have had a wonderful time at Saru and would like to thank the organisation for the opportunity they have given me. We have had some wonderful highs in the past 10 seasons and I hope I have added value to South African rugby.

“This was a decision I had thought long and hard about for some time and those close to me will know that it was something that I had agonised over. But I believed the time was right to move on – both for me and the team – and I wish them all success in the future,” Treu said while stepping down from his role.

NAIROBI, Kenya, August 29- After missing out on his maiden world title in Moscow courtesy of the unstoppable championship force that is Ezekiel Kemboi, teenager Conseslus Kipruto is in line for a first career Diamond Trophy at Thursday night’s Zurich final.

The 19 year-old silver winner in Russia who got a taste of contemptuous finger wagging from his erstwhile hero Kemboi as he came across the line for the second medal requires a third finish at least to clinch the circuit crown and the $40,000 (Sh3.48m) winners’ jackpot.

Should he succeed, Kipruto will dethrone another of his idols, circuit specialist and compatriot, Paul Kipsiele Koech, who has held on the elite international circuit racing crown for the past three seasons.

“I want to run like Kemboi at championships and Kipsiele at the Diamond League. I want to be a mix of the two, they are my heroes,” Kipruto said in March as he prepared to compete for his nation at the World Cross Country Championships in Bydgoszcz, Poland.

If Kipruto is not in the top three, then his hero turned foe, Kemboi or the little known countryman, Hillary Yego, who topped the pair in Stockholm last week will be declared the winners should they get an unobstructed view of the finish line in Zurich.

The youngster billed to be the future of the steeple as far as his country is concerned has however, not finished outside the podium in the water and barriers event this season, including Stockholm where he was third as Kemboi, clearly suffering a major Moscow hangover, propped the field.

Other Kenyans on the Diamond rush at the final where 15 of the first 16 Diamond winners will be crowned- New Zealand’s Valerie Adams clinched the women Shot put title- include another silver winner from Moscow, Mercy Cherono.

Cherono however, faces the Herculean task of supplanting the headline acts of the race, the Ethiopian world champion pair, Meseret Defar and Tirunesh Dibaba, who are placed first and second in the women 5000m to accomplish what would be nothing short of an amazing steal.

With eight points up for grabs for the winner, Cherono (four) must win and hope Meseret (ten) and Tirunesh (eight) do not place in the podium.

But the two Ethiopians who avoided each other in Moscow with the former bagging the 5000m as her compatriot and arch rival won the 10,000m will square off in their first circuit final since 2006.

Then known as the IAAF Golden League, Tirunesh was on the verge of winning $125,000 (Sh10.75m today) with victory but out came her foe to win by the thickness of a vest and deny her the jackpot. A week earlier in Brussels, she appeared to scuttle Meseret’s attempts to break the world record.

The women 10000m Worlds silver winner, Gladys Cherono will also feature in the Zurich showdown hoping to continue embellishing her reputation.

Although she is not in the running for the Diamond Trophy, newly coined surprise women 800m world titleholder, Eunice Sum, will line-up against the Russian she dethroned, Mariya Saminova with revenge at the heart of the home favourite who was put to the shade by the Kenyan’s late burst.

Olympic silver winner, South Africa’s Caster Semenya, will feature in her first race of the season hoping to dip under 2:00 in a race where the winner will take home the Diamond crown.

Moscow champion, Asbel Kiprop, who paled in Stockholm has a chance to restore his billing in the men 1500m although he does not have a chance to win the circuit title with compatriots, former World junior champion, Caleb Ndiku and Bethwell Birgen, who failed to qualify for the Russia final standing a chance to win top Diamond honours.

NAIROBI, Kenya, August 30- World champion Eunice Sum crowned her awesome season by clinching her first IAAF Diamond League crown as steeplechase prodigy and Moscow silver winner, Conseslus Kipruto, hang on to bag a similar crown at the Wetlklasse Meet final in Zurich on Thursday night.

On a night where 15 winners of the $40,000 (Sh3.405m) jackpot apiece and a Diamond Trophy were decided on a night of riveting action, Sum once again prevailed over Russia Olympics champion, Mariya Saminova by out-lasting her on the homestretch to win in 1:58.82, just 0.11 seconds ahead of her predecessor of as a world champion.

In the absence of Burundi’s injured Francine Niyonsaba, Sum also took the Diamond Trophy in the open race by proving that her win at the Luzhniki Stadium over Saminova was no fluke as she found the legs to stop the feared Russian who prior to Moscow, had won five major titles in two years.

With a cast containing the gold, silver and bronze winners from the Moscow Worlds lining up for the men 3000m steeplechase, all eyes were on Ezekiel Kemboi, the three-time champion who prevailed over his 19 year-old rival, Conseslus Kipruto, whom he led to the altar in Russia.

But soon after the gun, it became apparent that Kemboi was not interested in giving the world a re-match as he went through the motions and eventually, jogged home second from last in 8:37.68.

However, the World Junior champion had a job to do, ensure he finished third to win the consolation of bagging his first ever Diamond League crown and after taking the lead through to three-laps to go, Jairus Kipchoge Birech, his rival for the title took charge.

The pair were joined by Hillary Yego, another circuit performer as Kipruto dropped to third, with the strain showing. At the bell, Birech and Yego took off for the honours with French Worlds bronze winner, Mekhissi-Benabbad and compatriot Gilbert Kirui, breathing down Kipruto’s neck.

Yego (8:08.03) won it over Birech (8:08.72) by injecting the decisive turn of pace just before the final water jump as Kipruto (8:10.76) just managed to fend of Mekhissi for third to lift the Diamond Trophy.

Elsewhere, Commonwealth champion, Silas Kiplagat, showed he could still win big races when his timed sprint over the homestretch landed him the win in Zurich (3:30.97) in a race where world champion, Asbel Kiprop (3:33.78), gave up the chase to finish sixth.

That allowed Ayanleh Souleiman from Djibouti to celebrate a Diamond victory with Kenyan frontrunners from the jackpot in the event, former world junior champion, Caleb Mwangangi (3:33.41/fourth) and Bethwell Birgen (DNF) failed to pick up the points that would have seen them secure victory.

In the thrilling women 5000m final, Moscow silver medallist, Mercy Cherono (14:40.33) led compatriots, Emily Chebet (14:46.89) and fellow second medal winner over 10,000m, Gladys Cherono (14:47.12) to occupy the third, fourth and fifth positions in a scorching race where Ethiopian powerhouses, Meseret Defar (14:32.83) and Tirunesh Dibaba (14:34.82) gave the world another instalment of their pitch rivalry.

Defar and Dibaba, the 5000m and 10,000m gold medallists respectively from the 2013 IAAF World Championships, were brought together to battle for supremacy over the shorter distance, something that didn’t happen in Moscow earlier this month owing to both of them deciding to only have one bite of the cherry in the Russian capital. It was just their fourth race against each other since the Beijing Olympics five years ago.

Dibaba may have come in as the World record-holder and 2013 world leader, while Defar was saying ahead of the meeting how tired she was after her recent outings in Moscow and Stockholm, but it was the latter who prevailed in a dramatic and thrilling last lap, coming home just under two seconds in front of her Ethiopian compatriot and rival in 14:32.83.

The winner uncorked an unofficial last kilometre of 2:40.68 and a last lap of 58.3 and her win meant that she was also was victorious in the Diamond Race and added a $40,000 first prize as well as the impressive and elusive Diamond Trophy, which she received at the end of the meeting along with the 14 other winners on Thursday night.

-Report compiled from Iaaf.org