IAAF Diamond League - ParisJul 4, 2015 by Lincoln Shryack
Paris: Evan Jager Runs 8:00.45 American Record Despite Fall
Paris: Evan Jager Runs 8:00.45 American Record Despite Fall
Evan Jager stumbled over the final barrier, but still ran an 8:00.45 American record in Paris
A wild men’s steeplechase highlighted the Paris Diamond League on Saturday evening, as U.S. champion Evan Jager ran an American record of 8:00.45, and very nearly came away with much more.
Jager ran aggressively from the front throughout, hanging with the pacers and a small group of Kenyans that sped through the first kilometer in 2:37, under World record pace.
The pack dwindled to just Jager and Kenyan superstar Jairus Birech when the 2nd pacer stepped off after hitting 2K in 5:17, well within sub-8:00 tempo. At around 900 meters to go, Jager assumed the lead over Birech and began to separate himself as the men prepared to kick for home.
Jager held a sizable lead with 250 meters to go in Paris.
The 26-year-old still maintained the lead with one lap to go in 6:55, and seemed to have broken Birech with 200 meters to go as the gap stretched to 5-7 meters. Jager looked well on his way to victory as he approached the final barrier, but he unbelievably stumbled after clearing the jump, falling to the track as the Kenyan raced past him to take the win in 7:58.83.
Evan Jager stumbled after clearing the final barrier, and Birech flew past him. Jager still finished 2nd in 8:00.45
Jager was able to gather himself enough to get up and finish in 8:00.45, #2 in the World in 2015 and more than four seconds faster than his previous American record of 8:04.71 that he set last September. Although the fall robbed him of a sure-fire win and sub-8:00 performance, that shouldn’t take away from the fact that Jager ran brilliantly in Paris.
Once considered a fringe medal contender for Beijing, Jager should now expect nothing less as he builds his season towards the World Championships in August.
Genzebe Dibaba had to overcome an up and down pace to run 14:15.41 in the women's 5K
The highly anticipated women’s 5,000m battle between Ethiopians Almaz Ayana and Genzebe Dibaba was hyped as an assault on the 14:11.15 World record, but messy pacing threw any hope of that out the window.
Dibaba Survives Poor Pacing To Run 14:15.41, 4th Fastest Woman All-Time
Genzebe Dibaba had to overcome an up and down pace to run 14:15.41 in the women's 5K
The highly anticipated women’s 5,000m battle between Ethiopians Almaz Ayana and Genzebe Dibaba was hyped as an assault on the 14:11.15 World record, but messy pacing threw any hope of that out the window.
Ayana and Dibaba ran a slow opening kilometer of 2:54, then suddenly jolted away from the pack in the second kilometer, splitting 2:44 to jump back on pace.
Ayana, whose 14:14.32 in May was the third fastest performance all-time, led the 24-year-old Dibaba through 3K in 8:36, and maintained her slight advantage as they hit the last lap stride-for-stride. It was Dibaba, however, who would separate herself from Ayana with a thrilling last lap, crossing the line in 14:15.41 to make her the 4th fastest woman all-time. Ayana struggled in the last lap, but would hang on for second in 14:21.97.
Dibaba, who’s sister Tirunesh holds the current World record, has firmly established herself as the favorite for 5,000m gold in Beijing, having set the indoor World record (14:18.86) in February, and now handily beating her main rival.
In other action in Paris…
Kenyan Silas Kiplagat won the heavyweight men’s 1,500m in a World-leading 3:30.12 over Ayanleh Souleiman (3:30.17) and Ronald Kwemoi (3:30.43). The victory was Kiplagat’s second Diamond League win in 2015.
2013 World champion Eunice Sum of Kenya became the first women under 1:57 in the 800m in two years, running a 1:56.99 World lead. The 26-year-old will be a strong favorite at the World Championships in Beijing. Americans Molly Ludlow (4th, 1:58.68) and Chanelle Price (5th, 1:59.10) each ran personal bests after finishing 4th and 5th at USA's last weekend.
South Africa’s Wayde van Niekerk pulled the biggest upset of the day, running 43.96 in the men’s 400 to beat reigning Olympic champ Kirani James, who was second in 44.17. The 22-year-old van Niekerk set a new national record on Saturday in Paris.
The men’s and women’s 100 meter races were swept by the Jamaicans, with two-time Olympic champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce running a dominating 10.74 World lead, and 32-year-old Asafa Powell running the #2 time in the World for 2015 of 9.81 to win the men’s race.