Chebet and Tsegay renew rivalry in Rome

World record-holder Gudaf Tsegay and Olympic champion Beatrice Chebet are set to face off in the 5000m race at the Golden Gala Pietro Mennea, one of the Wanda Diamond League’s most anticipated events in Rome on Friday (6).

Chebet is among six Olympic champions competing in the Italian capital, arriving in excellent form. Recently at the Diamond League meeting in Rabat, she broke the African record in the 3000m with a time of 8:11.56, placing her second on the all-time global list.

Before that, Chebet beat Tsegay by one second to win the 5000m in Xiamen. However, Tsegay remains the last woman to defeat Chebet in a Diamond League race doing so at the 2023 Diamond League Final in Eugene, where she also set a world record of 14:00.21.

Chebet finished second there, setting a personal best of 14:05.92, but her recent performances suggest she’s ready to improve even further. The meeting record of 14:12.59 is a challenging yet achievable goal.

Also competing are two-time world indoor champion Freweyni Hailu and local favorite Nadia Battocletti, the Olympic silver medalist in the 10,000m, along with USA’s Karissa Schweizer.

In the men’s 400m, all eyes will be on South Africa’s Zakithi Nene, who recently ran a world-leading 43.76 in Nairobi. He will face Olympic champion Quincy Hall, 2024 world indoor champion Alexander Doom, European silver medalist Charlie Dobson, and Botswana’s Olympic relay silver medalist Busang Collen Kebinatshipi.

In women’s discus, two-time Olympic champion Valarie Allman will compete against the last four world champions: Laulauga Tausaga, Feng Bin, Yaime Perez, and Sandra Elkasevic.

The women’s triple jump will feature the Olympic Games medalists Thea Lafond, Shanieka Ricketts, and Jasmine Moore, competing against the World Indoor Championships podium finishers Leyanis Perez Hernandez, Liadagmis Povea, and Ana Peleteiro-Compaore.

The men’s high jump includes all three world indoor medalists, with Woo Sanghyeok taking on Olympic champion Hamish Kerr, Jamaica’s Raymond Richards, and world champion Gianmarco Tamberi.

In the men’s long jump, Italy’s world indoor champion Mattia Furlani will face Olympic champion Miltiadis Tentoglou, alongside 2022 world indoor silver medalist Thobias Montler, 2024 world indoor heptathlon champion Simon Ehammer, and in-form Australian Liam Adcock.

Nearly a year after winning European gold in front of home fans, Italy’s Leonardo Fabbri aims for another win at the Golden Gala in the Stadio Olimpico. The world silver medalist will face tough competition from world indoor champion Tom Walsh, two-time world champion Joe Kovacs, Olympic bronze medalist Rajindra Campbell, world indoor silver medalist Roger Steen, bronze medalist Adrian Piperi, and world leader Payton Otterdahl.

After stepping up to win the 5000m at the Doha Diamond League three weeks ago, Kenya’s Reynold Cheruiyot returns to his specialty, the 1500m. He will compete against 2019 world champion Timothy Cheruiyot, African champion Brian Komen, European indoor silver medalist Azeddine Habz, and Commonwealth champion Ollie Hoare.

In the women’s 1500m, Ethiopia’s Birke Haylom will compete against compatriot Hirut Meshesha, Kenya’s Susan Ejore, and Ireland’s European indoor 3000m champion Sarah Healy.

World leader Cordell Tinch heads the 110m hurdles, facing Olympic silver medalist Daniel Roberts, European champion Lorenzo Simonelli, world indoor silver medalist Wilhem Belocian, and Spain’s Enrique Llopis.

In the sprints, 2022 champion Fred Kerley will run the men’s 100m, while US sprinter Anavia Battle leads the women’s 200m.

Finally, in the women’s pole vault, European champion Angelica Moser will compete against USA’s Sandi Morris, world indoor silver medalist Tina Sutej, and Italy’s Roberta Bruni.

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