LAUSANNE, Switzerland (Reuters) – Olympic champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen held off Lamecha Girma in a battle of world record holders to win the much-anticipated men’s 1,500 metres at the Athletissima Diamond League meet on Friday.
The 22-year-old from Norway, who broke the world mark in the seldom-run two-mile event this month in Paris, clocked three minutes 28.72 seconds, less than a second off his personal best despite a chilly evening at Stade Olympique de la Pontaise.
“I have had to make some adjustments with my strategy, I have been putting in extra miles in the last couple of weeks,” Ingebrigtsen said. “It’s all to get myself in the best shape possible for the worlds (which start on Aug. 19 in Budapest).
“I did not win in Oregon and I am looking to address that in Budapest,” added the Norwegian, who was second in the 1,500 at the 2022 world championships, winning gold in the 5,000.
Girma of Ethiopia, who crushed the world steeplechase record on the same June 9 Paris evening as Ingebrigtsen’s record run, was second in 3:29.51 – an Ethiopian record.
Katie Moon of the United States cleared a world-leading 4.82 metres on her third attempt to win the pole vault.
Berihu Aregawi of Ethiopia set a sizzling pace in the men’s 5,000m and then held off several challenges from Uganda’s Joshua Cheptegei – including one final move from the world record-holder and Olympic champion down the homestretch – to win a nerve-jangling race in a world leading time of 12:40.45.
“I am delighted to be here and to win against Joshua,” said the 22-year-old Aregawi, who narrowly missed becoming the fifth runner in history to dip under the 12:40 barrier. “It was a great atmosphere. I enjoyed this race.”
Two-time Olympic champion Ryan Crouser won the men’s shot put, but the American shook his head in frustration after his throw of 22.29 metres – well shy of his world record 23.56 set at the Los Angeles Grand Prix on May 28.
“To be a honest, I am a tad disappointed,” Crouser said. “I felt great and the potential for a really big throw was there and that’s why I am not entirely happy. Nevertheless a win is a win.”
Kenya’s Mary Moraa won the women’s 800m, leading from the gun to clock a season’s best 1:57.43.
“It was a very challenging race and I felt completely empty at the end of it,” Moraa said. “The weather was particularly difficult for me.”
Britain’s Keely Hodgkinson, who has the world’s fastest time in the 800 this season (1:55.77), made a move to pass Moraa coming off the final corner, but the Kenyan pulled away down the home stretch. Hodgkinson crossed in 1:58.37.
Beatrice Chepkoech of Kenya, the 3,000 metres steeplechase world champion in 2019, passed this season’s world leader Sembo Almayew of Ethiopia with a lap remaining to win in 9:05.98.
Marie-Josee Ta Lou of Ivory Coast, a double silver medallist at the 2017 worlds, exploded out of the blocks and cruised to an easy victory in the women’s 100 in 10.88 seconds.
“I was happy with my race, but not really with my time,” Ta Lou said. “I will have to work as usual with my coach. The conditions weren’t ideal, it was cold for me. But I’m happy at least I ran under the 11 seconds barrier.”
Letsile Tebogo of Botswana ran 20.01 to win the men’s 200m. Canada’s Olympic champion Andre De Grasse, who has got off to a slow start in a season of changes – he left coach Rana Reider to work with Ireland’s John Coghlan – was sixth.
(Reporting by Lori Ewing; Editing by Ken Ferris)
