IAAF Diamond League - MonacoJul 17, 2015 by Lincoln Shryack
Genzebe Dibaba 3:50.07 1500m World Record In Monaco, Asbel Kiprop Runs 3:26.69
Genzebe Dibaba 3:50.07 1500m World Record In Monaco, Asbel Kiprop Runs 3:26.69
Genzebe Dibaba Sets Women's 1500 World Record, 3:50.07, Rowbury Sets American Record
RESULTS
All the stars were out in full force on Friday night in Monaco, but the evening belonged to Ethiopian Genzebe Dibaba, who set the World record of 3:50.07 in the women's 1500m with a jaw-dropping 2:01 final 800 meters.Dibaba bettered the 22-year-old 1500m World record of 3:50.46 held by China's Qu Yunxia since September 11th, 1993. Before Dibaba ran 3:54.11 last week in Spain, Yunxia's mark was thought to be unbeatable, as no woman had run that close to the record since 1997.
But Dibaba proved that to be just a myth on Friday, as she displayed fitness that will make her very difficult to beat in just over a month at the IAAF World Championships in Beijing. In a race with almost all of the best 1500m runners in the world, Dibaba finished nearly six full seconds ahead of runner-up Sifan Hassan, who lowered her PR to 3:56.05.
The 24-year-old Dibaba fell to the track in elation after crossing the line, staring at the clock in utter disbelief. The Ethiopian’s tally of World records now totals five, as she also holds the 1500, 3k, two-mile, and 5k records indoors.
Dibaba blasted through the opening 400 in just over 60-seconds, under record tempo as she closely followed pacer Chanelle Price. Dibaba fell off the pace in the second lap however, crossing 800m in 2:04.50 with a 64-second quarter that allowed the Netherlands' Sifan Hassan to come up on her shoulder.
But Hassan would be no match to the hammer that Dibaba threw down in the third lap, a remarkable 60-second split that put the World record back on the table. With 300 meters to go, the race with the clock was on.
Using her once-in-a-lifetime combination of speed and strength, Dibaba dug deep to split 59.79 over the last lap, breaking the record with an unbelievable 2:01.97 final 800 meters.
With the World record in hand, Dibaba finally answered the question that has been asked of her all season regarding her decision to compete in the 1500m and 5,000m in August's World Championships.
With the World record in hand, Dibaba finally answered the question that has been asked of her all season regarding her decision to compete in the 1500m and 5,000m in August's World Championships.
"One thing is clear I will double at World Championships [1500m and 5000m]. And let’s try for 5000m World record after Beijing," Dibaba told the Diamond League afterwards.
Shannon Rowbury turned in a brilliant performance herself, running an American record of 3:56.29 to better Mary Slaney’s 3:57.12 mark that had stood since 1983. Asbel Kiprop Thrashes Deep 1500 Field With 3:26.69, 3rd Fastest All-Time
Kenyan Asbel Kiprop dominated the men's 1500 today in Monaco, running 3:26.69
Asbel Kiprop of Kenya thoroughly smashed a loaded men’s 1500 with his 3:26.69 win on Friday, beating runner-up Taoufik Makhloufi by more than two seconds. Makhloufi ran a huge PR of 3:28.75, with Moroccan Abdelaati Iguider also running a lifetime best of 3:28.79 for third.
Kiprop separated himself early from the chase pack as he closely followed the pacers through 400 meters in 53.72. A Mo Farah-led chase pack did their best to hunt down Kiprop over the next 400 meters, gaining slightly as the lead group split 56.6 in the second lap, 1:50.3 through 800 meters. Farah remained in contention just five meters back.
But Kiprop had plenty more in the engine on this day, using a brilliant third lap of 55.4 to blow the race wide open. Using the long, loping stride that has helped him win Olympic gold and two World titles, Kiprop drove to the line with fervor, with one of the fastest metric miles in history waiting for him.
Crossing the line in 3:26.69, the 26-year-old Kenyan became the third-fastest 1500 runner in history, behind only Hicham El Guerrouj (3:26.00) and Bernard Lagat (3:26.34).
The men's 1500 in Monaco was never close. Asbel Kiprop won by over 2 seconds in 3:26.69
Reigning 5k/10k World champion Mo Farah was 4th in 3:28.93, the second-fastest time of his career. New Zealand’s Nick Willis ran a PR at Monaco for the second consecutive year, this time a 3:29.66 for 5th.
American Matthew Centrowitz was 10th in a 3:30.40 PR, making him the third-fastest American in history behind only Bernard Lagat and Sydney Maree. The 25-year-old jumped ahead of Alan Webb on the U.S. list with his performance today in Monaco.
Fellow American Leo Manzano just dipped under the IAAF World Championships standard with his 3:36.16 13th place finish. The American men's 1500m team for Beijing is now officially set with Centrowitz, Robby Andrews, and Manzano all with qualifying marks.
Amel Tuka Uses Furious Kick To Win Monaco 800m In World-Leading 1:42.51
Watch out David Rudisha, a new challenger has arrived in the men’s 800 meters.
In a stunning turn of events out-shadowed only by Dibaba and Kiprop’s performances, 24-year-old Bosnian Amel Tuka used a furious kick in the final 400 meters to win the men’s 800m in Monaco in a World-leading 1:42.51. His time lowered the 2015 World lead by more than half a second, and bested his previous national record of 1:43.84 that he set just last week in Madrid.
No one was more shocked by the men's 800m result than race winner Amel Tuka of Bosnia
Tuka blew the doors off a stacked field of half-milers with a stunning last lap that saw him go from ninth to first with a split of 51.3 seconds, all while running down the best 800m runners in the world minus the fastest man in history, Rudisha, who did not race in Monaco. Tuka swung out to lane 4 in the final 100 meters to chop down his final victims, which included Nijel Amos and Ayanleh Souleiman.
Tuka’s finish was so stunning in part because of who he beat and what little experience the Bosnian has at this stage. Entering 2015, Tuka owned a 1:46.12 PR, nowhere near world class. He has no Olympic or World Championship appearances to speak of, yet he was remarkably kicking past some of the best 800m runners in history on Friday, including 1:41 man Amos, who was second in 1:42.66. Souleiman, who held the previous 2015 World lead entering today, was 3rd in a 1:42.97 PR, lowering his Djibouti national record.
Tuka swung wide to kick down 1:41 man Nijel Amos
While one great race by an unproven entity like Tuka does not make him a favorite at the World Championships against Rudisha or even Amos, the Bosnian’s performance in Monaco at least showed that the 800m title is entirely up for grabs in Beijing. Rudisha and Amos won’t go down easily with medals on the line, but if Tuka can replicate the finishing speed we witnessed on Friday when (and if) he reaches the final in Beijing, he surely will be tough to beat.
Notably, 22-year-old American Boris Berian continues to impress in 2015, as he was 4th today in a new PR of 1:43.34. Berian’s performance in Monaco ranks as the 5th-fastest in American history, behind only Johnny Gray, Duane Solomon, Nick Symmonds, and Mark Everett.
Like Tuka, Berian has burst onto the international scene in 2015, lowering his PR by over 5 and a half seconds since the start of the season. His rapid improvement did not however translate into a trip to Beijing for the World Championships, as he failed to reach the U.S. final in Eugene.
While it’s a shame that we won’t get to see Berian race at Worlds, let’s remember that this kid is only 22. He’ll have plenty of chances to make a team, and with the way things are going, more chances to scare Johnny Gray’s 1:42.60 American record as well.