Timothy Cheruiyot Clocks World Lead in Paris

World silver medallist Timothy Cheruiyot clocked a world-leading performance in the 1500m to highlight the Meeting de Paris IAAF Diamond League at the Charlety Stadium on Saturday.

The 22-year-old Kenyan ran 3.29.71 to beat Djibouti’s Ayanhel Suleiman 3.31.77 and his training partner Charles Simotwo, who finished in a season’s best 3.32.61.

Cheruiyot’s previous personal best was 3:30 from this year’s Stockholm’s Diamond League meeting.

The Bomet-born athlete didn’t make the Kenyan Olympic team last year after finishing fourth at the Olympic Trials, but is rounding into impressive form this year.

In the women’s 3000m steeplechase, another Kenyan Beatrice Chepkoech set a season’s leading time of 8:59.36 to put off the challenge of her 19-year-old compatriot Celliphine Chespol over the final rap.

Chespol clocked a season’s best of 9:01.82, finishing well ahead of two other Kenyans Hyvin Kiyeng 9:03.86 and Norah Jeruto 9:04.17.

It was gold again in 800m for Kenyan superstar Ferguson Rotich despite the windy conditions in the French capital. His time of 1.43.73 was well ahead of his compatriot Jonathan Kitilit who finished ten seconds behind.

In the corresponding women’s 800m race, another African Caster Semenya put in a fine performance timing as she also ran a record fastest ever time of 1:54.25.

The South African juggernaut lead from gun to tape for the fourth fastest time in history but Rio 2016 silver medallist Francine Niyonsaba of Burundi maintained her reputation as she took second place in a season’s best of 1:55.86.

“In Oslo we were not very happy about the pace so I said ‘No pace this time,” Semenya told IAAF.

“See what you can get out of it. But 1:54.25…I did not expect that. I was thinking 1:54.99 could be possible but this was great.