The 1500m world record holder will take aim at bettering her record in Italy on Friday, while Tebogo takes on Kerley in the men’s 100m
Faith Kipyegon is set to compete in the 1500m at the 13th Diamond League of the season on Friday (Aug 30), marking her return to the meeting where she first set a world record in the event.
However, this year the meeting moves back to its traditional location in Rome after being held in Florence last year – where Kipyegon broke the world record.
The Kenyan middle-distance star recently claimed her third consecutive 1500m title in Paris, clocking 3:51.29 – just two seconds off her world record of 3:49.04 set earlier this year at the Paris Diamond League.
Australia’s Olympic silver medallist Jess Hull will also join the lineup, while Olympic 10,000m silver medallist Nadia Battocletti will test herself over the shorter distance in front of a home crowd.
Great Britain’s Revee Walcott-Nolan is also set to compete after achieving a personal best of 3:58.08 in the Olympic semi-final, where she broke the four-minute barrier for the first time.
Fred Kerley will return to the circuit after claiming victory in the men’s 100m in Silesia on Sunday (August 25). With the last-minute withdrawal of Olympic silver medallist Kishane Thompson, who also pulled out in Silesia, Kerley’s main man to beat will be 200m Olympic champion Letsile Tebogo.
Letsile Tebogo (Getty)
Tebogo is fresh off a win in the 200m at Lausanne where Kerley finished third. This time, both athletes will compete over the shorter distance, though Tebogo is known to favour the 200m after his sixth place in the Olympic 100m final.
Tebogo says: “I haven’t put a target to the time (in Rome) because the Olympics are finished and I’m still celebrating my gold medal, but I will give it my best shot. With Fred [Kerley] there I think it is going to be a fast time.
“Noah [Lyles] has changed the sport. I didn’t change anything, I just came in and won the gold medal, but he has been very consistent throughout the years. I think after being consistent also I would say I could be the face of athletics.”
The showdown will also feature African record-holder Ferdinand Omanyala and Marcell Jacobs, who will be making his return to the stadium where he clinched European gold.
The men’s 5000m will see five of the top six finishers from the Olympic final take the start line. Olympic silver medallist, Kenya’s Ronald Kwemoi and bronze medallist Grant Fisher from…
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