Niyonsaba leads stellar 5000m field in Birmingham

Olympics 2016 silver medalist, in 800m, Francine Niyonsaba will, on Saturday be in action at the Birmingham Diamond League (DL) where she leads a strong 5000m field. 

Fresh from running a world leading 8:40.97 in 3000m at the season-opening Doha DL to defeat two-time 1500m Olympic champion Faith Kipyegon, the Burundian is expected to dictate the race in Birmingham. 

Niyonsaba who moved to the longer distances after being barked from competing in her preferred 800m due to her testosterone levels will face 5km record holder Ejgayehu Taye who is opening her outdoor season. 

After breaking the world 5km record with a 14:19 run on the roads of Barcelona at the end of last year, Taye races that same distance on the track to make her season debut.

The Olympic fifth-place finisher, who ran her 14:14.09 Personal Best in Hengelo last June, comes into the race having claimed 3000m bronze at the World Indoor Championships in Belgrade in what is her most recent race.

Kipsang, Tefera renew rivalry in Birmingham

Also on the startlist Taye's compatriot Girmawit Gebrzihair, who ran a world-leading 14:49.97 to win at the Kip Keino Classic held in Nairobi earlier this month. Dawit Seyaum and Fantu Worku are also on the list. 

Jess Judd joins them, fresh from securing her spot on the British team for the World Championships 10,000m in Oregon with her 31:22.24 winning run at the national 10,000m championships in Highgate last weekend.

Meanwhile, Britain’s Olympic silver medallist Laura Muir is sure to get strong support in the 1500m when she makes her season debut against the likes of Ethiopia’s world leader Diribe Welteji, who clocked 4:01.50 in Nairobi. 

Two-time world indoor 1500m silver medallist Axumawit Embaye, plus Australia’s Jessica Hull, Kenya’s Winny Chebet and her British compatriot Jemma Reekie are also expected to line up in the 1500m race. 

In the women’s 800m the spotlight will be on Olympic silver medallist Keely Hodgkinson, who broke the British record with her 1:55.88 run in Tokyo and races for the first time since being forced to withdraw from the World Indoor Championships through injury. 

She renews her rivalry with Jamaica’s Natoya Goule, while Renelle Lamote of France competes for the first time since the Tokyo Games.

Additional information by World Athletics.