While Virginia Nyambura suffered her first 3000m steeplechase defeat of 2015 at the Golden Gala Diamond League meeting in Rome on 4-June, her runner-up time of 9:15.75 not only improved her personal best by over 5 seconds, but also moved her to 7th place on Kenya’s All-Time list for the event. Nyambura was edged at the finish line in Rome by compatriot Hyvin Kiyeng Jepkemoi (9:15.08), who overtook the lead on the women’s ’15 steeple world chart. Just three days later in the Birmingham DL steeple, Nyambura and Jepkemoi went head-to-head again and this time it was Nyambura winning another close one between the two, by a margin of 9:24.01 to 9:25.20. Lidya Chepkirui also ran strong races in both Rome and Birmingham, placing 4th in 9:20.44 and 3rd in 9:26.54, respectively, with the former time moving her to 4th on the ’15 steeple world chart.
Other Personae-managed athletes with notable performances at the Rome DL meeting: Ferguson Rotich, 5th in 800m (1:44.00/’15 world no. 6) and Isiah Koech, 10th in 5000m (13:07.33/’15 world no. 10); at the Birmingham DL meeting: Isiah Koech, 2nd in 5000m (13:11.22) and Hillary Ngetich, 2nd in 1500m (3;38.42); in Marseille on 6-June: Gilbert Kwemoi, 9th in 1500m (3:35.68 personal best) and Vincent Mutai, 10th in 1500m (3:35.81 personal best); in Geneva on 6-June: Michael Bultheel, 2nd in 400m Hurdles (49.90/’15 Europe no. 8); and in Huizingen on 6-June: Mike Mokamba, 1st in 200m (20.89).