Kipyegon misses 3000m world record in Silesia as Chebet finishes second in 1500m

1500m world champion Faith Kipyegon warmed up for the 2025 World Championships set for Tokyo on September 13-21 by agonizingly coming close to the 3000m world record at the Silesia Diamond League meeting on Saturday.

Kipyegon, who is also the 1500m gold medallist and also the 5000m silver medallist went into the meet in Silesia hoping to break the 3000m world record that has stood for 32 years.

The Kenyan came close to breaking that record as she won the race in 8:07.04, less than a second off the world record, which is held by China’s Wang Junxia after setting it in 1993.

Kipyegon is using the Diamond League to prepare for the World Championships where she will not only be hoping to retain her 1500m world title, but also win the 5000m title.

She will, however, face stiff competition in Tokyo in the 5000m race as she will come up against her friend and countrywoman Beatrice Chebet.

Chebet is the double world record holder in 5000m and 10,000m and she is also a double Olympic gold medallist over the two distances and will be hoping to win her first world title when she competes in Tokyo.

Chebet also competed at the Silesia Diamond League on Saturday, but in the shorter distance.

She finished second in the 1500m race which was won by Ethiopia’s Gudaf Tsegay in 3:50.62, which was a meeting record.

Even though Chebet lost the race, she will be happy with her show after clocking a Personal Best time of 3:54.73.

Before the Silesia Diamond League meeting, Kipyegon had also tried to run the mile under four minutes in a special event but she failed.

Apart from Kipyegon and Chebet, there were also other Kenyans who competed in Silesia as they prepare for the World Championships.

Timothy Cheruiyot, who will be hoping to win a world title in 1500m after last winning it in 2019 finished second in the race on Saturday in Silesia behind USA’s Yared Neguse.

Cheruiyot clocked 3;33.35 while Nuguse won the race in 3:33.19 while another Kenyan Reynold Cheruiyot finished in fourth place after clocking 3:33.41.

Another former world champion Kenya’s Julius Yego also had a good outing in Silesia after throwing 83.60m in javelin to win the event. Trinidad and Tobago’s Keshorn Walcott was second with a throw of 82.54m.