Kiprop, Farah and Makhloufi to clash over 1500m in Monaco – IAAF Diamond League

Since 2011, all global titles at 1500m and 5000m have been won by just three men. That trio of Asbel Kiprop, Mo Farah and Taoufik Makhloufi will head to the Herculis meeting to contest the 1500m at the IAAF Diamond League meeting in Monaco on 17 July.

Kiprop knows Monaco well. His three fastest 1500m times have all been set at the Stade Louis II as well as his 800m PB. His 2013 winning time of 3:27.72 puts him at fifth on the world all-time list.

The two-time world champion and 2008 Olympic champion recently confirmed his good form with victory in the mile at the IAAF Diamond League meeting in Oslo.

Farah is the undisputed king of the longer track distances. Since the start of 2011, he has lost just one race at 5000m and one at 10,000m. But in Monaco he will step down in distance to the 1500m. He is a serious contender for the win too, having set a European record of 3:28.81 when he last raced over 1500m, which was in the same 2013 Monaco race in which Kiprop set his PB.

Makhloufi also has fond memories of Monaco, having set two 1500m PBs there. In 2012 he reduced his PB from 3:32.94 – which had been set in Monaco two years prior – to 3:30.80. Little more than two weeks later, he won the Olympic 1500m title. The Algerian has since improved his best to 3:30.40.

Also in the field are world silver medallist Matthew Centrowitz, 2008 Olympic silver medallist Nick Willis and 2012 European champion Henrik Ingebrigtsen. All three athletes set lifetime bests in Monaco last year and will hope to do the same again on 17 July.

Organisers for the IAAF

2015 IAAF Diamond League calendar
Doha, QAT – 15 May
Shanghai, CHN – 17 May
Eugene, USA – 30 May
Rome, ITA – 4 June
Birmingham, GBR – 7 June
Oslo, NOR – 11 June
New York, USA – 13 June
Paris, FRA – 4 July
Lausanne, SUI – 9 July
Monaco, MON – 17 July
London, GBR – 24-25 July
Stockholm, SWE – 30 July
Zurich, SUI – 3 September
Brussels, BEL – 11 September