APA-Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) Hagos Gebrhiwet won the 5000m race at the Wanda Diamond League meeting in Monaco.
The world silver medalist won the competition after a surprise surge from 500m from the finishing line.
He ran his career’s fastest time (12:42:18) to hold off his compatriot and world leader Berihu Aregawi.
This is the second time in a row the two Ethiopian athletes face off in the Diamond League meeting. In Lausanne Aregawi won a world-leading record 12:40.45 while Hagos finished third in 12:49.80.
In Monaco, Aregawi’s finishing mark was more than two minutes behind his world-leading time, finishing second in 12:42:58. Telahun Haile made it an Ethiopian sweep, clocking his personal best at 12:42:70.
Gebrhiwet was glad about his performance “because 42 – that is a huge improvement for me.”
“The race was very good and I am also glad for my compatriots,” he said. “We are friends, but on the other hand, we are also opponents.”
Faith Kipyegon has continued making history in the mile race. obliterating the world record in the women’s mile race. This is Kipyegon’s consecutive world record in this year’s Diamond League.
The Olympic and world 1500m champion clocked 3:49.11 for that distance in Florence on 2 June and then ran 14:05.20 for 5000m in Paris on 9 June.
On Friday evening, the Kenyan broke yet another record in Monaco, running the fastest time in world mile race history with 4:07.64. “It was amazing,” she said. “it just does not happen every time you run.”
MG/as/APA