L. MathekaKipruto beats Korir in France as Moraa bags silver
Reading Time: 2min | Fri. 03.06.22. | 17:20
Cornelius Kemboi broke a ten-year 5000m meeting record with a 13:04.31.
Former world indoor tour champion Collins Kipruto bagged another victory as he clocked 1:45.22 to win the men's 800m at the Montreuil International meeting in France.
Up against a field that had Olympics champion Emmanuel Korir who was making his outdoor season debut, Kipruto held on for victory adding to his win in Ostrava few days ago.
💥 Benjamin Robert s'est bien battu !
— FFAthlétisme (@FFAthletisme) June 2, 2022
🇨🇵 Le pensionnaire du Sa Toulouse Uc se classe 3e du 800 m en 1'45''59 à Montreuil. La victoire revient à 🇰🇪 Collins Kipruto en 1'45''22.
💻 Suivez le #CréditMutuelAthléTour en 𝗗𝗜𝗥𝗘𝗖𝗧 sur https://t.co/xgXE6U6Tof pic.twitter.com/OjbjQeRseh
Kipruto, who is preparing for the World Athletics Championships' trials set for later in the month, pushed the field to finish ahead of Slimane Moula who came second in a season best 1:45.58. Home runner Benjamin Robert completing the podium places in 1:45.59.
Korir, who had not raced since his Olympics winning race where he led a Kenyan 1-2 with Ferguson Rotich bagging silver, found the going tough finishing sixth in a season-opening 1:46.29.
The other Kenyan in the race, Elias Ngeny managed an eighth-place finish in a season best time of 1:46.96 as six of the 12 finishers recorded PB's.
In the corresponding women's race, Olympics semifinalist Mary Moraa clocked 2:01.29 to finish in second place behind home runner Renelle Lamote who missed a sub 2 minutes by milliseconds in a 2:00.68 performance. Christina Hering was third in 2:01.35.
In the men's 5000m, Kenya's Cornelius Kemboi broke a ten-year meeting record with a 13:04.31. The previous record was held by Abayneth Woldegiorgis at 13:11.01 since 2011.
Kenyan-born Belgian Isaac Kimeli wrestled with Kemboi to the last step as he clocked 13:04.72, a new personal best to deny Kenya a clean sweep as Isaac Ndiema and Felix Kiptarus finished third and fourth in 13:06.18 and 13:07.99 respectively.
World Under-20 champion Benson Kiplagat managed a personal best time of 13:10.41 in sixth place in a race where the top six finishers recorded their PB's.
Meanwhile, former World Youth 1500m champion Kumari Taki continued to build for his return to the national team where he is set to represent the country in the upcoming Senior African Athletics Championships with a 3:37.31 third-place finish in a race won by Habz Azzedine in 3:36.27, a season best.
In the corresponding women's race, Kenya's Gloria Kite managed a season-best 15:02.92 for second place behind Kenyan-born Kazakhstani Daisy Jepkemei who broke the meeting record, previously held by Beatrice Chebet, in 14:45.69.
