Marco Arop just misses Canadian 800m record at Monaco Diamond League
The 22-year-old was just 0.06 seconds from a record-breaking run
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Photo: Pat Holleran/Shannon Digital Imaging
Summer track action continued Friday at the Diamond League meet in Monaco, which saw several world-leading performances and personal bests from some of the world’s top athletes. The highlight for Canadian fans was Marco Arop in the men’s 800m, who ran an impressive 1:43.26, just 0.06 seconds off the Canadian record. Arop has not finished off the podium in any of his races so far this season. He put on an impressive performance, finishing third in a new personal best time of 1:43.26, only 0.06 seconds off Brandon McBride’s Canadian record. The winner, Nijel Amos of Botswana, the 2012 Olympic 800m silver medallist, ran a world-leading 1:42.91, and second place went to Kenya’s Emmanuel Kipkurui Korir in 1:43.04.
That's it from #MonacoDL!
Which was your favourite performance?#DiamondLeague
? @matthewquine / @diamond_league pic.twitter.com/HZsGckTbcX
— Wanda Diamond League (@Diamond_League) July 9, 2021
RELATED: Marco Arop is going pro
Men’s 100m
Andre De Grasse’s winning streak came to an end today when he finished a disappointing fourth in 10.00. First place went to American Ronnie Baker in 9.91, followed by South Africa’s Akani Simbine in 9.98 and Italy’s Lamont Jacobs in 9.99.
Men’s 400m hurdles
Norway’s Karsten Warholm was back with another impressive performance, and while he didn’t set another world record, he won the race in a meet record of 47.08. Second and third went to Alison dos Santos of Brazil and Rasmus Magi of Estonia in 47.51 and 48.83, respectively.
Women’s 800m
The U.K.’s Laura Muir had a spectacular race, winning in a personal best time and Scottish record of 1:56.73, followed by her compatriot Jemma Reekie in 1:56.96, also a personal best time. Third went to U.S. runner Kate Grace, who also ran a personal best in 1:57.20.
“I just thought: ‘Just run as fast as you can! This is Monaco, I know I am in great shape,'” said Muir in a post-race interview. Muir has said she will run only the 1,500m in Tokyo; she is not racing the 800m.
1,500m
In the men’s 1,500m, the top three men all went sub-3:30, led by Timothy Cheruiyot, running a world-leading 3:28.28 – a personal best for the Kenyan athlete. Spain’s Mohamed Katir pushed him right to the line to finish second in 3:28.76, a personal best time and national record, and behind him was Norway’s Jakob Ingebrigtsen in 3:29.25. Fourth-place finisher Stewart McSweyn also finished under 3:30, clocking 3:29.51, an Australian national record.
The women’s side saw the much-anticipated match-up between world record-holder at the distance, Sifan Hassan, and 2016 Olympic champion, Faith Kipyegon. It was Kipyegon who won the battle, pushing past Hassan in the last 50 metres for the win in a world-leading 3:51.07, a personal best and national record for the Kenyan athlete, and the fourth-fastest time ever run. Hassan finished in a season’s best 3:53.60, followed by Ethiopia’s Freweyni Hailu in 3:56.28.
RELATED: Fath Kipyegon wins Pre Classic 1,500m in first race postpartum
3,000m steeplechase
American runner Hillary Bor was leading the men’s race when an official rang the bell one lap too early. Bor looked strong as he charged through what he thought was his final lap, only to be told he had to continue. Having already given his last final effort, Bor faded to 5th place, and Ethiopia’s Lamecha Girma took the lead, managing to run a world-leading 8:07.75, despite the final lap debacle (though he did not race at the Ethiopian trials, and is not going to Tokyo). Abraham Kibiwot of Kenya was right behind him in 8:07.81, followed by Djilali Bedrani of France in third in 8:11.17.
It was a disappointing day for Emma Coburn of the U.S., who fell at the final water jump, finishing fourth in 9:09.02, seven seconds off her personal best. Kenya’s Hyvin Kiyeng and world record holder Beatrice Chepkoech were first and second in 9:03.82 and 9:04.94, respectively, followed by Winfred Yavi of Bahrain in third in 9:05.45.
9.91!@ronnie_baker14 picks up a second win in two #DiamondLeague meetings at #MonacoDL.
? @matthewquine pic.twitter.com/5A7DMuZ5Gt
— Wanda Diamond League (@Diamond_League) July 9, 2021
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