Niyonsaba beats Obiri for the second time this season

NAIROBI, Kenya, Sep 8 – For the second time this season, Francine Niyonsaba beat Kenya’s Hellen Obiri as the Burundian outsprinted the Olympic silver medalist to clinch the Diamond Trophy at the season ending Diamond League meet in Zurich, Switzerland on Wednesday evening.

Niyonsaba had already beaten Obiri five days ago in Brussels and she repeated the feat with a determined performance at the home stretch.

The Burundian timed 14mins, 28.98secs, pushing away Obiri with a good finishing kick, the Kenyan crossing the line in 14mins, 29.68secs.

Ethiopian Taye Ejgayehu came in third while another Kenyan, Margaret Chelimo finished in fourth place, Eva Cherono fifth and Lilian Kasait seventh.

Meanwhile, the counterparts in the men’s corresponding race were also floored with Jacob Krop being the best finisher in the race, coming in third in a time of 13mins, 01.81secs ahead of compatriot Nicholas Kimeli who finished in fourth spot.

The race was won by Ethiopian Berihu Aregawi in 12mins, 58.65secs while Balew Birhanu of Bahrain came in at second position.

Meanwhile, action shifts to the second day of the season ending event at the Letzigrund Stadium with several Kenyans set to compete.

Kenyans will line up in the men and women’s 1500m, 800m and the steeplechase.

Benjamin Kigen and Abraham Kibiwott who were outrun by Soufiane El Bakkali at the Olympics will be out to exert revenge when they line up together once again and will be joined by former World Junior champion Leonard Bett.

Kigen won bronze in Tokyo as El Bakkali broke Kenya’s dominance of the water and barriers race.

Meanwhile, Olympic bronze medalist Hyvin Kiyeng will lead Purity Kirui, Rosefline Chepngétich and former World Under-18 and Under-20 champion Celliphine Chespol in gunning for top honors in the women’s race.

Arguably, the biggest fight of the night will be in the women’s 1500m when Faith Kipyegon and Sifan Hassan meet again, just less than a month after Kipyegon beat the latter to the Olympic gold medal.

Kipyegon has beaten Hassan thrice this season, including the Olympics while the Dutch lady has beaten her Kenyan rival only twice.

In the men’s 1500m, Timothy Cheruiyot will also be seeking revenge on Norwegian Jakob Ingebrigtsen after the latter beat him at the Olympic Games. Cheruiyot clinched silver with Ingebrigtsen winning gold.

But with the Diamond Trophy at stake in Switzerland, the Kenyan world champion will be going all out.

Also in the race are Kenyans Abel Kipsang, who finished fourth at Tokyo Olympics Ronald Kwemoi and Charles Simotwo.