Kiplimo puts speed shift for Oregon Worlds
Leading at the bell, Jacob Kiplimo could have won his first track race in 11 months but it was Athlete Refugee Team’s Domnic Lobalu who beat him to the tape with about 30 metres left.
Jacob Kiplimo has his priorities set. His main goal is a medal over the 10000m at the World Athletics Championships which come in Oregon, US, in under a fortnight.
The 21-year-old could have done the long-distance double on the West Coast but just one will do.
Kiplimo feels he is in a good place after posting seven minutes and 29.55 seconds for second place over the 3000m at the Stockholm Diamond League (DL) in Sweden on Thursday night.
“Yes, I’m happy about it,” the reigning world half-marathon champion and record holder told this publication before returning home at the weekend.
“I came to Stockholm because I needed to test my body. I had to withdraw from the Pre Classic (Eugene DL) and it was important to run one race before the world championships.”
Despite doing one race on track all year, Kiplimo is confident ahead of the 25-lap final set for July 17 at the Hayward Field in Eugene.
“I’m 99 percent satisfied, the one percent is because I missed the victory in the last 15 metres but it’s part of the job,” Kiplimo posted on Instagram.
Leading at the bell, Kiplimo could have won his first track race in 11 months but it was Athlete Refugee Team’s Domnic Lobalu who beat him to the tape with about 30 metres left.
Lobalu, who hails from South Sudan, posted 7:29.48 not only for the world lead time over the distance but also slashed his personal best by 20 seconds.
Prior, middle-distance runner Ronald Musagala continued to improve with another season best of 3:36.90 in third place over the 1500m.
“According the way I was struggling with my body in Uganda, it’s a good progress,” noted Musagala, currently based at the Global Sports Communication camp in Nijmegen, Netherlands.
Meanwhile, world 800m champion Halimah Nakaayi will need maximum concentration to perfect her craft before flying to Oregon. In the Swedish capital, she lost some seconds and energy trying to get space on the outside before finishing fourth in 1:58.85.
The two-lap race was won by in-form Kenyan Mary Moraa in 1:57.68, beating Olympic silver medallist Briton Keely Hodgkinson (1:58.18) and Australian Catriona Bisset in third with 1:58.54.
Considering her improved control of power over the final lap, Nakaayi could have lowered that time.
“The race was fair but not yet my perfect race strategy for me,” she later said.
Winnie Nanyondo smiled to second place over 1500m in a time of 4:03.66 behind Australian Linden Hall.
Musagala, Nanyondo and Nakaayi next week head to Oregon from Nijmegen.
Stockholm Diamond Leg
Results | MEN’S 1500M
1.Filip Sasinek CZE 3:36.56
2.Matthew Stonier GBR 3:36.60
3.Ronald Musagala UGA 3:36.90
MEN’S 3000M
1.Domnic Lobalu ART 7:29.48
2.Jacob Kiplimo UGA 7:29.55
3.Cornelius Kemboi KEN 7:31.26
Stockholm Diamond Leg
Results | WOMEN’S 800M
1.Mary Moraa KEN 1:57.68
2.Keely Hodgkinson GBR 1:58.18
3.Catriona Bisset AUS 1:58.54
4.Halimah Nakaayi UGA 1:58.85
WOMEN’S 1500M
1.Linden Hall AUS 4:02.65
2.Winnie Nanyondo UGA 4:03.66
3.Georgia Griffith AUS 4:04.75
