Kenya: Budapest Day Five - Kipyegon on Audacious Double Dream, Kipsang Leads Hunt for Medal Number Four

23 August 2023

Nairobi — After clinching her third 1500m world title, arguably sailing here to the top echelon of women's middle distance running, Faith Kipyegon will be chasing an unprecedented double in Budapest when she lines up for the heats of the women's 5,000m on Wednesday night.

She will be among the Kenyan names descending on the track in Budapest on the fifth day of competition, where the country will also have an opportunity of adding another medal to its basket.

Here is what is lined up for Kenya in the evening session of the fifth day in the Hungarian capital.

8:02pm - Women's 5,000m heats

She has a world record in both the 1500m and the 5,000m, but Kipyegon says she was only majorly focused on her traditional 1500m race when she travelled to Budapest.

But, just in the same way she surprised the world when she lowered the 5,000m world record in Paris, she is expected to be competitive as ever when she lines up for a maiden world champion over a longer distance.

She has already mentioned that in the near future, she will scale up to the distance full time, and Budapest will offer her an opportunity to properly audition, though the world record run might have already placed her top of the log.

She lines up in the second heat where she pairs Lilian Kasait and they will be up against a tough field, that also includes Ethiopian duo Ejgayehu Taye as well as Freweyni Hailu.

Sifan Hassan, who she beat for the 1500m title on Tuesday night, will also be lining up in this heat as she looks to leave Budapest with at least one gold.

In Heat One, Beatrice Chebet, the reigning Commonwealth Games champion and silver medalist behind Ethiopia's Gudaf Tsegay in Oregon, will be the name to watch in Kenyan colors.

She will have Margaret Chelimo, bronze medalist in the 10,000m from Oregon for company. Defending champion Tsegay will also line up in this heat.

8:53pm - Women's 3,000m steeplechase heats

Having missed out the defense of her title in Oregon last year due to a hairline fracture, Beatrice Chepkoech will start the hunt for the crown again, lining up in the first heat of the women's steeplechase.

The world record holder has endured a torrid last two years due to injuries that have led to some loss of form, but her performance from the national trials gave hope of a woman regaining her foothold.

This season, she has a pair of fourth place finishes from the Doha and Rome legs of the Diamond League, while she won in Lausanne. She was second in London, and was the last standing pace setter as Kipyegon set her world record in Paris.

She comes in beaming with confidence, and high hopes of clinching the crown once again.

She is by far the fastest in her heat, with a season's best time of 9:04.34, alongside Kenyan turned Bahraini Winfred Yavi who will also line up in this heat.

The other Kenyan names in the event are youngsters Faith Cherotich (reigning world U20 champion) and Jackline Chepkoech, the only woman in ther Championship to dip under nine minutes this season.

Chepkoech has a season's best time of 8:57.35 and is ranked second in the world this season.

10:15pm - Men's 1500m final

Abel Kipsang, and the reigning World U20 Champion Reynold Cheruiyot will be leading the Kenyan hunt for medals in this race.

Former champion Timothy Cheruiyot and veteran Ferguson Rotich failed to make it through.

Kipsang comfortably won his heat and will look to finally get a medal in global events after coming close several times.

For Reynold, competing in his first senior Championship, he will be in for the learning curve, but will also throw his hat in the ring for a possible medal.

Olympic champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen will be the man to watch in this race, which will have a new champion due to the absence of Jake Wightman.

USA's Yared Nuguse, ranked second in the world this year, will also be another man to look out for on the track.

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