This year’s Diamond League 3000m steeplechase final round took place at the Zurich Weltklasse meeting, and already the Diamond League points leader going into this race, Ruth Jebet made sure she claimed this title, too. Once again following pace setter and Personae teammate Caroline Tuigong Chepkurui through 1000m (2:57.74), Jebet assumed the lead shortly thereafter, passing the 2000m mark in 6:03.03 (3.05.29), after which she decisively pulled away from the field with a third kilometer of 3:03.97, to win in 9:07.00. As in Rio, the finishing order behind her in Zurich was Hyvin Kiyeng (9:10.15), Emma Coburn (9:17.42), and Beatrice Chepkoech (9:19.37). The victory was Jebet’s 4th on the Diamond League circuit, giving her a final points total of 56 vs. runner-up Kiyeng’s 44. With her time in Zurich, Jebet holds the top-3, and four of the top-6 performances, in the 3000m SC in 2016. Other noteworthy results in Zurich were Albert Rop, who in a tactically-slow 5000m was 4th in 13:17.56, and Ann Zagre in the 100m Hurdles, running 12.98 for 8th place.
The 2016 Diamond League season will conclude with the 14th stop in Brussels on 9-Sep, the 40th edition of the Memorial Van Damme, created to honor the late Ivo Van Damme – Silver medalist in the 800m and 1500m at the ’76 Olympic Games in Montreal. Personae athletes who are top-3 Diamond Race contenders in their respective events include Ferguson Rotich (800m Diamond Race leader) and Philips Milanov (Discus), Alfred Kipketer (800m), and Paul Koech (3000m SC), all currently in 3rd place.
In non-Diamond League action, several Personae-managed athletes competed at the ISTAF Berlin meeting on 3-Sep, with highlights as follows: Celliphine Chespol in the 3000m SC (1st in 9:25.49); Kipyegon Bett in the 800m (2nd in personal best 1:43.76/’16 world no. 12); Gesa Krause in the 3000m SC (2nd in 9:30.95); and Purity Kirui in the 3000m SC (4th in 9:39.80).
Finally, at the Tilburg 10 km road race held on 4-Sep, Rio Olympics 10000m 4th placer Alice Aprot Nawowuna won in convincing fashion with a time of 31:34, ahead of Gladys Chesir (31:58).