Report14 Jul 2013


Championship record for Biwott in runaway 1500m victory

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Robert Kiptoo Biwott in the boys' 1500m at the IAAF World Youth Championships 2013 (© Getty Images)

Seventeen-year-old Robert Biwott put on an exhibition of front-running prowess, comfortably leading from the gun and extending his lead to 50 metres on his way to a 3:36.77 championship record in the 1500m.

The Kenyan improved the 2013 world youth-leading mark by three seconds, as he finished more than four-and-a-half seconds ahead of silver medallist Tesfu Tewelde of Eritrea who himself registered a 3:42.14 personal best.

Biwott passed the 400m mark in 59.41 before upping the tempo to a 57.54 second-lap split, reaching 800m in 1:56.95 and enjoying a 10-metre advantage over his nearest rivals with two laps to go.

He then sped up again with a 57.44 lap to go through 1200m in 2:54.39 as he hit the bell with a 50-metre advantage over the chasing group.

With a final 300m covered in 42.38, the African youth champion stormed home to take his nation’s sixth title in this event during the eight editions of this championship.

Tewelde meanwhile, overhauled Kenya’s Titus Kipruto Kibiego with 70 metres remaining to take the silver medal, as Kibiego clocked 3:42.97 for bronze.

Further back, Ethiopia’s Mathiwos Yotota finished fourth with a 3:44.43 lifetime best, as the USA’s Blake Haney ran a 3:44.69 personal best in fifth.

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