New chapter for Kiprop, Chemutai targets Eugene win

NEW YORK, USA. The Eugene leg of the Wanda Diamond League (DL) circuit is a pretty demanding trip for most elite athletes due to the long flights to the west coast of the USA.

A bunch of Ugandans who align with apparel company Nike have been in the US this week to honour the Eugene event, commonly called the Prefontaine Classic.

Of that lot, three Ugandans will be in action when the fans enter the Hayward Field in Oregon State tonight.

Former world champion Halimah Nakaayi will race in the women’s 800 metres while Peruth Chemutai continues to itch for more over the women’s 3000 metres steeplechase.

Uganda’s first competitor on the fast track will be youngster Keneth Kiprop whose name is entered on the 20-man field for the men’s 10000 metres.

Memories of a 25-lap race in Eugene run back to Joshua Cheptegei’s second 10000-metre world title at the Oregon 2022 World Athletics Championships as well as his breakthrough 10000-metre gold at the 2014 World Athletics Under-20 Championships.

Kiprop is Cheptegei’s understudy. Last August, Kiprop won 5000-metre bronze at the World U20 Athletics Championships in Lima, Peru.

The 20-year-old however has never run a 25-lap competitive race before. And as he bids to take over long-distance medal quest responsibilities on track from Cheptegei, Kiprop has some work on his hands in an all-East African field with Kenyans and Ethiopians.

“The plan and goal is to run below 27 minutes,” Kiprop’s coach Addy Ruiter said. Kiprop posted a new personal best (PB) mark over the 5000 metres to 13 minutes and 49 micro-seconds at the Shanghai DL leg in China on May 3 and thereby qualified for the Tokyo World Athletics Championships due September.

Yet dipping under 27 minutes will as well earn him a slot in the race final at the Tokyo Worlds in Japan. “The entry standard for Tokyo. But it will be hot,” Ruiter stated.

The field comprises Ethiopian Berihu Aregawi who won 10000-metre Olympic silver behind Cheptegei at the Paris Olympics last August.

Former Olympic champion Ethiopian Selemon Barega is in the field too as well as Kenyan Stanley Mburu, who won the world silver medal behind Cheptegei in Eugene three years ago.

There is also experienced Ethiopian Hagos Gebrhiwet, world cross-country U20 champion Kenyan Ishmael Kipkurui and home boy Conner Mantz.

In the women’s steeplechase race, reigning Olympic silver medalist Chemutai will go against familiar foes in Kazakhstan’s Norah Jeruto, Olympic champion Bahraini Winfred Yavi Mutile but most importantly the in-form Faith Cherotich over the water-jumps.

Chemutai ran her third fastest time of her career - 8:54.41 - but came second to Cherotich, who won her third DL race of the season in the world lead mark of 8:53.37 during the Paris DL in France on June 20.

The 20-year-old Cherotich has already won DL races in Doha, Qatar on May 16, Bislett Games in Oslo, Norway on June 12 and in Paris and any success by Chemutai in stopping her from a fourth win will boost the Ugandan’s confidence ahead of the Tokyo Worlds.

And Chemutai won the Eugene DL meeting last year.

EUGENE DIAMOND LEAGUE

Saturday

9:10pm: Keneth Kiprop (Men’s 10000 Metres)

Sunday 

12:09am: Peruth Chemutai (Women’s 3000 Metres Steeplechase)

12.34am: Halimah Nakaayi (Women’s 800 Metres)

WOMEN’S 3000M STEEPLECHASE IN 2025

FASTEST TIMES

8:53.37 by Faith Cherotich (KEN) on Jun 20

8:54.41 by Peruth Chemutai (UGA) on Jun 20

8:58.15 by Doris Lemngole (KEN) on Jun 14

9:01.22 by Sembo Almayew (ETH) on Jun 20

9:02.76 by Winfred Yavi Mutile (BRN) on Jun 12

9:06.84 by Marwa Bouzayani (TUN) on Jun 12

TEAM UGANDA TO THE TOKYO WORLD ATHLETICS CHAMPIONSHIPS

QUALIFIED BY TIME

WOMEN: Halimah Nakaayi (800 Metres), Peruth Chemutai (3000 Metres Steeplechase), Sarah Chelangat (5000 Metres), Stella Chesang (Marathon)

MEN: Keneth Kiprop (5000 Metres), Jacob Kiplimo, Joshua Cheptegei, Stephen Kissa, Victor Kiplangat (Marathon)