Conseslus Kipruto to battle Girma in Rome Diamond League steeplechase

Two-time world 3000m steeplechase champion Conseslus Kipruto will be in action at the Rome Diamond League (DL) where he takes on a stellar field that is headlined by Olympics silver medalist Lamecha Girma.

This is Kipruto’s second international appearance since making his return to the racing scene following more than two-year hiatus occasioned by injury.

Moraa coming face to face with Athing Mu in Rome Diamond League

The 2016 Olympics champion finished fourth in Rabat on 5 June in a race won by Olympics champion Soufiane El Bakalli ahead of Girma. The Kenyan renews rivalry with the in-form Ethiopian for the second time within five days.

Girma is the favourite. His national record of 7:58.68, a mark that puts him 12th on the world all-time list achieved in Ostrava, makes him the fastest on the Rome field that has six Kenyans.

Italy’s Ahmed Abdelwahe was third in Ostrava and after setting his PB at the last edition of the Golden Gala Pietro Mennea in Florence last year, he will be looking for another strong run on home soil.

The three race Ethiopia’s Olympic fourth-place finisher Getnet Wale, World Under-20 champion Amos Serem, Olympian and Commonwealth silver medalist Abraham Kibiwott, 2017 World Under-18 2000 steeplechase champion Leonard Bett among others.

Meanwhile, Olympics 5000m fourth-place finisher Nicholas Kimeli, Levy Kibet and Jacob Krop are in action in the distance against a strong Ethiopian contingent that has the Olympic champion, world champion and world record-holder.

Ethiopia’s 10,000m gold medalist in Tokyo Selemon Barega goes up against his compatriots Muktar Edris, the two-time world 5000m gold medalist, and world leader Berihu Aregawi, who set the world 5km record of 12:49 in Barcelona at the end of last year and clocked 12:50.05 when winning in Eugene.

But it won’t just be a three-way race, with further strength from Ethiopia’s two-time world indoor 3000m champion Yomif Kejelcha, Canada’s Olympic silver medalist Mohammed Ahmed and Italy’s Yemaneberhan Crippa, who recently claimed a 10,000m win in London in 27:16.18.

Rome DL schedule (All times are in local time in Rome)

·         18:30: men's discus

·         19:15: men's shot put

·         19:35: women's pole vault

·         19:55: men's high jump

·         20:03: women's 400m hurdles

·         20:13: men's 400m

·         20:21: women's 1500m

·         20:38: women's long jump

·         20:42: women's 800m

·         20:51: men's 3000m steeplechase

·         21:08: women's 200m

·         21:15: men's 5000m

·         21:37: women's 100m hurdles

·         21:52: men's 100m