Chepkoech to battle Almayew for steeplechase title in Lausanne

World record holder, Beatrice Chepkoech makes a return to the Diamond League series on Friday 30 June where she takes on a field of 14 with eyes on the meeting record.

Chepkoech last featured in the series in Paris as she set the pace for compatriot Faith Kipyegon on her way to breaking the 5000m world record.

However, she was in action this weekend at the national championships where she elected to compete in 5000m coming home in 15:01.78 for second place as national champion Lilian Kasait outsprinted her in the home straight for 15:01.37.

The 2019 world champion has her work cut out as she heads out for the race as the third-best athlete, this season, on the field and on the back of fourth place finishes in Doha and Florence. She has not won a race in the series since August 2019 in Zurich.

The Lausanne meeting record of 9:16.99 set on 9 July 2015 by another Kenyan, Virginia Nyambura is likely to be broken as seven of the starters have gone quicker this season.

Chepkoech goes up against world U-20 silver medalist Sembo Almayew who is also making a return after her world-leading personal Best (PB) performance of 9:00.71 to win in Florence.

2021 world U-20 gold medalist, Jackline Chepkoech, was second in Florence and was expected to be racing on Friday too but her name has not been included in the start list.

World bronze medalist Mekides Abebe who has a season best of 9:11.09 and a 8:56.08 PB is also in competition as is Olympics champion, Uganda’s Peruth Chemutai who is yet to fins her 2021/22 form.

Moraa up against deep field in Lausanne as she returns to DL series

Elsewhere, Jakob Ingebrigtsen and Lamecha Girma who both made history earlier this month in Paris, where they set a world two-mile best and a world 3000m steeplechase record, respectively clash in men’s 1500m.

Norway’s Ingebrigtsen, who broke the world indoor 1500m record by running 3:30.60 in Lievin in February, clocked 7:54.10 in Paris to improve Daniel Komen’s world best for two miles.

Despite still having that race in his legs, the 22-year-old improved his own European 1500m record to 3:27.95 in Oslo six days later, a time that places him sixth on the world all-time list.

Although the world record had not been his aim in Oslo, Lausanne gives him another opportunity to take further strides toward Hicham El Guerrouj’s almost 25-year-old world record of 3:26.00 with Girma pushing his limits.

Additional reporting by World Athletics