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Faith Kipyegon celebrates after winning Diamond league trophy in Brussels.[AFP]
The focus shifts to the next season after kings and queens of the track dominated the Diamond League final in Brussels, Belgium, stylishly winning in their specialties.
Buoyed track stars announced their retreats to plan for the next season after lifting their 2024 Diamond League trophies at the Brussels showdown.
According to the champions, the focus shifts from an Olympic to a World Championships year.
They said they were getting ready for the off season where they will draw the plans for 2024.
After a busy track season, they reigned supreme even in races where Kenya, one of the world’s athletics powerhouses, had lost grip.
During the two-day final at the Brussels Diamond League, Kenyan athletes boldly reclaimed the 3000m steeplechase glory; bagging trophies in both the men’s and women’s hotly contested races on Friday and Saturday.
At the 2024 Paris Olympics, the country’s stars fought hard for gold medals but were defeated.
But in Brussels, former World Under-20 3000m steeplechase champion Amos Serem dethroned two-time Olympic champion Soufiane El Bakkali in a surprise show of might. He clinched the trophy, relegating the Moroccan star to the second place.
On Saturday night, Olympic bronze medallist Faith Cherotich shocked Olympic champion Winfred Yavi of Bahrain to establish her top position in the senior ranks.
Yavi, a Kenyan-born athlete finished second while 2020 Olympic champion Peruth Chemutai of Uganda placed third.
Cherotich said lifting her first Diamond league was a huge motivation to strategize well for the next season.
The world bronze medallist said her prayer to win the hotly contested final was answered.
“It was a strong field and I had decided to run my own race and it might be my day. My prayer to win my first Diamond league trophy was answered,” Cherotich told the press after the win.
The 20-year-old star went on: “I thank my coach, teammates. The win was motivating and it is time go back and work hard.”
Kenya’s golden girl Faith Kipyegon wrote another chapter in the history books of 1500m after powering to a her fifth Diamond League trophy.
The three-time Olympic champion said she would end her historic 2024 season at the Athlos competitions on September 26, before ushering in the off season.
Ethiopia’s Diribe Welteji and Australian Jessica Hull finished second and third and respectively in the women’s 1500m battle.
Kipyegon, who timed 3:54.75 (a meeting record) said winning the fifth Diamond League trophy was a huge motivation.
“Winning for the fifth time is not easy with youngsters coming up. I have not ended the season because I am preparing to compete at the in New York before starting the off season.
“I will want to have a good time with my daughter and husband. It will be an opportunity to go on holiday with my family.
The season has been good – winning my third medal at the Olympics and ending the season with a fifth Diamond League trophy,” Kipyegon said in an interview after the win.
Two-time Olympic champion Beatrice Chebet fought hard to reign supreme in the women’s 5000m. She ran a 14:09.82 meeting record, defeating Ethiopian stars, Medina Eisa and Fotyen Tesfay.
Olympic champion Emmanuel Wanyonyi stamped his authority in the men’s 800m clash, holding off his main rival this season, Marco Arop of Canada, who came in third at the final. Algerian Djamel Sedjati finished second.
Wanyonyi promised a glorious next season, saying he hoped to run faster at the final in Brussels but was challenged by winds and cold conditions. He ran 1:42.70.
The 20-year-old world silver medallist promised more glory as he heads to the next season.
Wanyonyi said he was going to listen keenly to his coach’s instructions as he prepares for the next track season.
“The competition was stiff. It was windy and cold and I could produce as fast speeds as I had expected.
“The Olympics were very competitive and I was happy to have won and even happier. I am now going back to do my buildups in readiness for next year,” he told the media.
Like Wanyonyi, world champion Mary Moraa produced a season best as she secured victory in the women’s 800m.
Great Britain’s Georgia Bell and Jamaica’s Natoya Goule-Toppin took the second and third places in the women’s 800m on Friday evening.
Moraa will also be ending her season at the Athlos contest in the US later this month.
Winners secured their wildcards to the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo, Japan.
Former world champion Timothy Cheruiyot finished second behind Norwegian Jakob Ingebrigtsen in the men’s 1500m.
The Standard Group Plc is a multi-media organization with investments in media
platforms spanning newspaper print operations, television, radio broadcasting,
digital and online services. The Standard Group is recognized as a leading
multi-media house in Kenya with a key influence in matters of national and
international interest.
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