Ethiopian runs fifth-fastest 5,000m time in history at Lausanne Diamond League

This year’s world cross-country silver medallist and world 5K road record holder, Berihu Aregawi, rammed the pace of the men’s 5,000m at Friday’s Lausanne Diamond League meet, in a successful bid for a world-leading time; the Ethiopian dragged his countrymen Telahun Bekele and Hagos Gebrhiwet and world record holder Joshua Cheptegei of Uganda around the track for several laps, but Cheptegei, who had looked like he was labouring the hardest, was the only one to hang onto the back of Aregawi with any success. Aregawi crossed the line in 12:40.45–the fifth fastest time in 5,000m history, a meeting record and world lead. He was followed by Cheptegei in a season’s best 12:41.61 and Gebrhiwet in a season’s best 12:49.80.  

WORLD LEAD‼️

Berihu Aregawi of Ethiopia 🇪🇹 wins the @athletissima 5000m in 12:40.45, holding off Joshua Cheptegei in second.

That's puts him 5th on the world all-time list 💥#DiamondLeague pic.twitter.com/30UGRJF7Eg

— World Athletics (@WorldAthletics) June 30, 2023

Ingebrigtsen continues his incredible win streak

Olympic champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen continued to rack up accolades, squeaking out a win in the 1,500m in a meeting record 3:28.72. The Norwegian, who set a new world best in the two-mile distance earlier this month and a new European 1,500m record at 3:27.95 at Oslo Diamond League two weeks ago, beat newly-minted world steeplechase record holder Lamecha Girma of Ethiopia, who ran a PB and Ethiopian national record of 3:29.51 for second place, and Great Britain’s Josh Kerr, who ran a season’s best 3:29.64. It was his 13th consecutive win.

In a league of his own 👏

Jakob Ingebrigtsen wins a nail biting 1500m in Lausanne with 3:28.72 🔥

Lamecha Girma comes in second with 3:29.51, a new Ethiopian national record 🇪🇹#DiamondLeague pic.twitter.com/pofJqzanwW

— World Athletics (@WorldAthletics) June 30, 2023

Hodgkinson foiled in 800m

The meet kicked off with the women’s 800m, in which Olympic, World Championships and Commonwealth Games silver medallist Keeley Hodgkinson experienced a “chastening defeat,” commentators said, at the hands of world and Commonwealth Games champion Mary Moraa of Kenya, who dominated the race and effectively contained Hodgkinson, who tried desperately to get around her on the final turn; Moraa won handily in a season’s best 1:57.43. Hodgkinson, with 1:58.37, was more than two seconds off her British record and personal best 1:55.77 from the Paris Diamond League on June 9. Natoya Goule of Jamaica crossed the line third, in 1:58.90.

Andre De Grasse on finding his rhythm ahead of Lausanne Diamond League

Meeting record for steeplechase world record holder

Steeplechase world record holder Beatrice Chepkoech had indicated she would try for a world-leading time in the women’s 3,000m steeplechase, but had to settle for a decisive meeting record instead. Chepkoech effectively held off Ethiopia’s Sembo Almayew, who won at the Florence Diamond League earlier this month in a meeting record of 9:00.71, winning the race in 9:05.98 to Almayew’s 9:06.82, an 11-second meeting record. 2021 Olympic champion Peruth Chemutai of Kenya was third in a season’s best of 9:11.91.

It was a disappointing night for Canada’s Aaron Brown and Andre De Grasse, who finished fifth and sixth, respectively, in the men’s 200m, with times of 20.44 and 20.57, notwithstanding the significant headwind; winner Letsile Tebogo of Botswana, who is only 20, ran 20.01. Jereem Richards of Trinidad and Tobago was second, in 20.11 and Joseph Fahnbulleh of Liberia was third in 20.21. De Grasse and Brown will hope for better results in the 100m at the Stockholm Diamond League on Sunday.

For full results, click here.