Gidey headlines Oslo 5000m as interesting battles in women’s 800m await

Multiple world record-holder Letesenbet Gidey will be out to achieve her first victory of the year following runner-up finishes in Eugene and Hengelo when she races in the women’s 5000m at the Oslo Diamond League set for 16 June.

The Ethiopian, who holds world records for 5000m, 10,000m and the half marathon, takes on a handful of her leading compatriots in the 5000m, including world indoor 1500m champion Gudaf Tsegay, 2015 world champion Almaz Ayana and 2016 world indoor silver medalist Dawit Seyaum.

Gidey may be the most accomplished runner on the field but her winning ratio in the distance can be challenged. Since the start of 2017, Gidey has raced the distance 14 times and won just once, her 14:06.62 world record in Valencia in 2020.

She was beaten by Tsegay at the Ethiopian championships in her only 5,000 of 2021 and in her first 5,000 of this year, Gidey finished a well-beaten second to Ejgayehu Taye at the Pre-Classic once Gidey’s world record attempt fell short.

Taye is not entered in Oslo but Tsegay is, and she has been in good form this year, winning World Indoors in the 1500 and running 3:54 at Pre-Classic. She is a huge threat to defeat Gidey. Britain’s Eilish McColgan, who beat Gidey over 10,000m in Hengelo earlier this month, is also in the line-up.

The men’s 5000m will also be an Ethiopian affair. Following a promising debut at the distance in Eugene last month, two-time world indoor 1500m champion Samuel Tefera will contest the second 5000m race of his career.

The 22-year-old Ethiopian clocked 13:06.86 at the Pre-Classic to finish second to Berihu Aregawi. While Aregawi is skipping Oslo, three other Ethiopians with sub-13-minute PBs are in the field; Getnet Wale, Telahun Haile Bekele and World Under-20 Cross Country champion Milkesa Mengesha.

Meanwhile, Olympic silver medalists Keely Hodgkinson and Laura Muir will race over two laps of the track. The British duo has raced each other just once before, Hodgkinson getting the verdict on that occasion at the national championships last year.

The 20-year-old goes into this race as the fastest entrant too, having clocked a season’s best of 1:57.72 when winning in Eugene last month.

Ethiopia’s Diribe Welteji, also aged just 20, goes into the race in good form too, having set a personal best of 1:58.28 for 800m and a season’s best of 3:59.19 for 1500m. Uganda's world champion Halimah Nakaayi, Jamaica’s Natoya Goule, Britain’s Jemma Reekie and France’s Renelle Lamote will ensure the race is super competitive.

Additional information by World Athletics.