Nicholas Kimeli breaks Kipchoge’s record in Rome

Olympics 5000m fourth-place finisher Nicholas Kimeli outstripped compatriot Jacob Krop to clinch the Rome Diamond League in a quick 12:46.33. 

In winning the star-studded race, Kimeli, broke the previous meeting record held by world marathon record holder Eliud Kipchoge for the last 18 years. 

He also ran a world-leading time, the seventh fastest 5000m in the all-time list and the second fastest Kenyan 5000m after Daniel Komen's 12:39.74 set in 1997. 

Krop, the Kip Keino Classic winner finished second in 12:46.79, having watched the win slip from his hands in the last 10m or so when Kimeli unleashed a killer finishing kick and Krop had no response.

Krop's time, however, puts him in the top tean all-time list at ninth and fourth in Kenya behind Kipchoge’s 2004 Rome winning time which stood as the meeting record until Thursday night.

The two were up against a strong Ethiopian contigent that had Olympics 10000m gold medalist Selemon Barega who finished fourth in behind Ethiopia’s two-time world indoor 3000m champion Yomif Kejelcha who led for the better part of the race taking the bell ahead before the two Kenyans zoomed past him with 250m to go. 

The field also had two-time world 5000m gold medalist Muktar Edris, Canada’s Olympic silver medalist Mohammed Ahmed among others. 

In the men's 3000m steeplechase, Lamecha Girma was in a class of his own, clocking a third consecutive sub 8 in a span of nine days to win ahead of Commonwealth Games silver medalist Abraham Kibiwott.

Mary Moraa finished fourth in women's 800m in a race won by Olympic champion in the distance Athing Mu in a world lead.