News24 Mar 2014


Chemos leads a loaded steeplechase field in Eugene – IAAF Diamond League

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Milcah Chemos takes another fine win at the 3000m Steeplechase in Eugene (© Kirby Lee - Image of Sport)

Kenya’s Milcah Chemos will bring her gold-medal smile and steeplechase talent back to the Prefontaine Classic in what is shaping up as a Kenya v Ethiopia battle over the barriers on 31 May, organisers for the IAAF Diamond League meeting announced on Monday (24).

Chemos, the 2013 world champion, is the fourth fastest ever in the event, with a best of 9:07.14 and she is the only runner to win the women’s steeplechase at the Pre Classic, doing it twice. 

Her most recent Pre Classic victory, 9:13.69 in 2012, led a parade of the five fastest ever on US soil. Her success is especially notable in the IAAF Diamond League, having won the Diamond Race in her event every year since the inaugural season in 2010.

Her opponents at the historic Hayward Field, which will stage the IAAF World Junior Championships later this summer, include the two women who finished directly behind her in Moscow, her compatriot and silver medalist Lidya Chepkurui and bronze medalist Sofia Assefa, from Ethiopia. 

The loaded field also includes Ethiopia’s Hiwot Ayalew, who finished just out of the medals in fourth place in Moscow. Ayalew also claimed a silver medal at last year’s IAAF World Cross Country Championships. 

Tunisia's Olympic silver medalist Habiba Ghribi and the Kenyan pair of Purity Kirui and Fancy Cherotich will also be on the start line.

The US will be represented by 2012 Olympians Emma Coburn and Bridget Franek, both finalists in London, as well as Jamie Cheever, the second-fastest US runner last year after Coburn.

European interests will be represented by Great Britain’s Eilish McColgan and Germany’s European junior record-holder Gesa-Felicitas Krause.

Organisers for the IAAF

2014 IAAF Diamond League calendar
Doha, QAT – 9 May
Shanghai, CHN – 18 May
Eugene, USA – 31 May
Rome, ITA – 5 Jun
Oslo, NOR – 11 Jun
New York, USA – 14 Jun
Lausanne, SUI – 3 Jul
Paris, FRA – 5 Jul
Glasgow, GBR – 11-12 Jul
Monaco, MON – 18 Jul
Stockholm, SWE – 21 Aug
Birmingham, GBR – 24 Aug
Zurich, SUI – 28 Aug
Brussels, BEL – 5 Sep