Nairobi — Commonwealth Games 5000m champion Beatrice Chebet admits she had to cope with the existential Ethiopian threat and bad weather on her way to victory at the Stockholm Diamond League on Sunday evening.
The 23-year-old was the only Kenyan representative in the women’s 5000m and concedes that this was a disadvantage she knew she had to overcome to cross the finish line ahead of all other competitors.
“I was the only Kenyan in the race and you know, the Ethiopians are very strong and help each other so I had to fight for this win. The first thing was to get the win today and the second thing was to fight these conditions. Yes, the weather was not very good but you have to run in any condition. It was not easy to finish the race,” the world cross country champion said.
Chebet timed a season’s best of 14:36.52 to cut the tape ahead of Ethiopian duo of Hailu Lemlem (14:38.06) and Eisa Medina (14:40.02) who finished second and third respectively.
It was Chebet’s first race since her triumph at the National Championships, a week ago, where she clocked 4:06.09 to win the women’s 1500m.
The victory was also her second in this year’s Diamond League series following her exploits in Oslo, Norway where she stopped the timer at 8:25.01 in the women’s 3000m.
Her next stop around the globe will be at the London Diamond League on July 23 where she is hoping to run faster than she has ever done.
“My main goal now is the PB (personal best) at 5000m so maybe in London, if the conditions are good, I can try to do it. I feel in a good shape so anything is possible. I am already thinking about Budapest (World Championships) where the main target is to get to the podium at the 5000m,” the World 5000m silver medalist said.
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Before packing her bags for the United Kingdom, Chebet still has the ‘small matter’ of the national trials for the World Championships, set for this weekend at the Nyayo Stadium in Nairobi.
Considering the start list for the 12-and-a-half lap race features the name of newly-crowned world record holder Faith Kipyegon, this weekend’s trials promises one of the most titanic battles witnessed on Kenyan soil in recent times — as far as athletics is concerned.
Both women are in the form of their lives and will be keen on securing the two slots available for grabs in this race albeit Kipyegon may yet choose to focus on her traditional 1500m race.
Besides the two, other runners who will fancy their chances of securing their tickets to Budapest include world 10,000m bronze medalist Margaret Chelimo, newly crowned national 5000m champion Lilian Kasait, Africa 5000m champion Caroline Nyaga, world cross country mixed relay champion Brenda Chebet and world cross country bronze medalist Agnes Jebet Ngetich, among others.
