Kiyeng stuns world champ Chepkoech in Berlin
Kenya's Hyvin Kiyeng celebrates with her country's flag after winning the women's 3000m steeplechase event of the 79th ISTAF (Internationales Stadionfest) international athletics meeting on September 13, 2020 at the Olympic Stadium in Berlin.
What you need to know:
- Kiyeng last beat Chepkoech during the 2017 Doha leg of the Diamond League before turning on style to win the silver leg of the World Athletics Tour in the German capital three years later.
- Chepkoech, the 3,000m steeplechase world record holder, returned a season best time of 9:10.07, while Marusa Mismas from Slovakia set a new national record of 9:20.68 for third place.
The 2016 Rio Olympics silver medallist Hyvin Kiyeng edged out World champion Beatrice Chepkoech for the first time in three years to win the women’s 3,000m steeplechase at the ISTAF Berlin meeting on Sunday.
Kenya's Mercy Chepkurui (C) and Kenya's Hyvin Kiyeng (C-R) compete in the women's 3000m steeplechase event of the 79th ISTAF (Internationales Stadionfest) international athletics meeting on September 13, 2020 at the Olympic Stadium in Berlin.
The two Kenyans went head-to-head at the last water jump, but Kiyeng, the 2015 World champion, appeared to slow down but paced the Continental Cup champion on the last bend to home straight to chalk a world lead time of nine minutes and 06.14 seconds.
Kiyeng last beat Chepkoech during the 2017 Doha leg of the Diamond League before turning on style to win the silver leg of the World Athletics Tour in the German capital three years later.
Kiyeng, 28, clocked 9:00.12 to beat Chepkoech to second place in 9:01.57 in Doha, but the Africa champion has since dominated to follow up his continental win in 2018 Asaba with a world record breaking feat in Monaco of 8:44.32.
Kenya's Hyvin Kiyeng celebrates with her country's flag after winning the women's 3000m steeplechase event of the 79th ISTAF (Internationales Stadionfest) international athletics meeting on September 13, 2020 at the Olympic Stadium in Berlin.
Chepkoech would go on to win the Continental Cup victory in Ostrava 2018 with a championship record 9:07.92 and the world title last year also with a championship record of 8:57.84.
It was Kiyeng first race of the season while Chepkoech, 29, is fresh from finishing sixth in 5,000m race in Monaco where World 5,000m champion Hellen Obiri reigned supreme.
Chepkoech took part in the indoor season competing over 1,500m in February before Covid-19 pandemic wrecked havoc.
Chepkoech, the 3,000m steeplechase world record holder, returned a season best time of 9:10.07, while Marusa Mismas from Slovakia set a new national record of 9:20.68 for third place.
Another Kenyan Mercy Chepkirui clocked 9:45.70 for ninth place.
From left: Kenya's Hyvin Kiyeng, Mercy Chepkurui and Beatrice Chepkoech compete in the women's 3000m steeplechase event of the 79th ISTAF (Internationales Stadionfest) international athletics meeting on September 13, 2020 at the Olympic Stadium in Berlin.
Laura Muir of Britain improved her World lead time with a comfortable 3:57.40 victory in the women’s 1,500m, beating fellow countrywoman Laura Weightman, who chalked personal best 4:00.09 for second.
Jessica Hull pulled an Asian and national record of 4:00.42 for third.
