Victory and World Lead for Hellen Obiri
13th July 2018 – On an almost perfect evening for distance running, World Champion Hellen Obiri (KEN) showed she is over the illness that hampered the early part of her season with a win at the IAAF Diamond League in Rabat, Morocco.
Despite a good early pace being set there was still 5 women in contention as the bell was taken. Hellen pushed on and hit the front with 300m left and kicked hard one last time as she entered the home straight to move clear and take victory in a new world leading time of 14:21.75, finishing off with a 60 second last lap.
In the women’s 200m the PACE duo of Dina Asher-Smith (GBR) and Jenna Prandini (USA) ran strong bends and led into the home straight. Current world leader Shaunae Miller-Uibo finished fast and edged up on the outside but Dina took second position (22.40 seconds) and Jenna third (22.60 seconds).
Matthew Hudson-Smith (GBR) continued his recent good form and was involved in a very tight finish in the men’s 400m taking third position in 44.79 seconds.
In the women’s middle-distance events Winny Chebet (KEN) ran the rarely held 1000m and took seventh position in 2:37.82. In the more conventional 800m Laura Roesler (USA) ran a seasons best of 2:00.56 for eighth. There was also a seasons best from Matthew Centrowitz (USA) in the men’s 1500m but he will be looking for faster again when he races in the Monaco Diamond League next week.
Article Tags: Dina Asher-Smith, Hellen Obiri, Jenna Prandini, Laura Roesler, Matthew Centrowitz, Matthew Hudson-Smith, Winny Chebet