Letesenbet Gidey headlines loaded 5000m at Prefontaine Classic

World-record holder at 5000m, 10,000m and the half marathon Letesenbet Gidey will be back on track this weekend as she competes at the Prefontaine Classic set for Friday 27 May in Oregon, U.S.

Action at Hayward Field on Friday will also include a world record attempt from Uganda’s Olympic and world gold medalist Joshua Cheptegei who announced that he will take aim at his own world 5000m record of 12:35.36 while Burundi’s Francine Niyonsaba will look to beat the world two mile best set at 8:58.58.

The Ethiopian goes up against a field that has five Kenyans led by World Under-20 3000m champion Teresia Muthoni, fresh from winning the 5000m Mikio Oda Memorial Athletics Meet in Japan, clocking 15:03.84.

The 20-year-old will be joined on the start line by fellow Under-20 medalist, Zenah Jemutai who finished second in 3000m at the Junior championship and most recently managed 15:12.59 for third place at the Kip Keino Classic.

Also, on the list is World Championships 1500m finalist Winny Chebet who was in action last week at the Birmingham Diamond League (DL) where she clocked 4:05.56 for third place in the women's 1500m won by Laura Muir in 4:02.81. Rebecca Mwangi and Caroline Chepkoech complete the list of Kenyans in action.

The field also has Ethiopia’s 5km record holder Ejgayehu Taye who was expected to make her season debut on track in 5000m in Birmingham but did not compete. The Olympic fifth-place finisher, who ran her 14:14.09 PB in Hengelo last June, claimed 3000m bronze at the World Indoor Championships in Belgrade is a favourite. Fantu Worku is also expected to race, having finished third in Birmingham.

The Friday races will be preceded by the men’s and women’s 10,000m that serve as the selection races for the US team for the World Athletics Championships Oregon 2022.

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