The Rest of The 2013 Sainsbury’s Grand Prix: Aregawi Comes From Behind To Win, Wote over Iguider, and Chemos and Aman Continue To Roll

by LetsRun.com
June 30, 2013

The 2013 Diamond League track and field circuit stopped in Birmingham today as the Sainsbury’s Grand Prix was held.

We’ve recapped the superb men’s 5000 separately: LRC Mo Farah Wins a Thrilling 5000m Over Alamirew and Gebrhiwet To Show Who is Boss .

We’ve also given the women’s 800 it’s own article as well as it marked the first time that 18-year old British phenom Jessica Judd broke 2:00.00: LRC Jessica Judd Breaks 2:00.00 – 18-Year Old British Phenom Wins 2013 Sainsbury’s Grand Prix in 1:59.85.

Below we recap the rest of the mid-d and distance action for you. For the other events, the full results are here. *BBC Full Meet Recap *IAAF Full Meet Recap

Women’s 1500: Aregawi Gets It Done In The Final 200; Many Other Big ‘Names’ Struggle

A rare site, Aregawi behind with 200 meters to go

Sweden’s Abebe Aregawi came in as the heavy favorite and did not disappoint as she remained undefeated on the year and won in 4:03.70 after a 58.93 last lap (29 flat last 200).

The runner-up in the race was the one woman who came into the year with a seasonal best within five seconds of Aregawi, Kenya’s Nancy Langat, the 2008 Olympic champ. Langat ran 4:04.53.

However, this race didn’t play out as one might have expected. The BBC commentators said coming in that Aregawi hadn’t been feeling well in recent days so she didn’t go for a fast time. She was content to sit in the pack and practice closing hard, which might be what she needs to do at Worlds.

With 200 remaining, Aregawi was still trailing as Russia’s Yekaterina Sharmina. Sharmina, who won the 1500 last week at the European team champs and ran 3:59.49 last year, ended up third in 4:04.55.

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Given the modest early splits, everyone in the field was still in contention with 400 to go, but the top three were well clear by the end. 2012 Olympic finalist Laura Weightman ended up best of the rest in fourth in 4:06.22.

You know it’s tactical when people are running 5-6 wide

Quick Thought (QT) #1: Since she wasn’t feeling well, this was a smart play by Aregawi. Practice coming from behind and leaving it late just in case that’s what she needs to do at Worlds.

QT #2: It wasn’t a very good day at all for many of the bigger names in the field. 2007 and 2009 world champ Maryam Jamal was last in in 4:09.99, 2011 world #1 Morgan Uceny was next to last in 4:08.48 (which was a seasonal best), 2009 silver medalist Lisa Dobriskey was 10th in 4:08.08, and 2011 silver medalist Hannah England was 7th in 4:07.23.

QT #3: We watched Morgan Uceny throughout and feel she probably was a little bit better than her finishing place indicated as she did a lot of extra work here. She ran the whole thing in lane 2/3. She was 3:05 flat at 1100 so that means she ran about 63.5 for her final 400.

We know the key for Uceny right now is to simply regain her fitness after starting slowly to the year. That being said, we think this would be the ideal time for her to work on running in a pack.

Given her falls in the past, we understand why she likes to be on the outside but she’s clearly not fit enough to run the whole thing in lane 2/3 like she tried to do today. This seems like an ideal time to practice getting in on the rail, saving ground and waking up at the bell. Given the fact she ran the 800 in college and dominated the Ivy League, she’s not really experienced at all in terms of running in a pack in a 1500. We’ve always thought that’s a key thing for 1500 runners to learn and it’s something Alan Webb never really learned.

Rank	Athlete	Nation	Result		Diamond Points	Diamond Ranking
1	AREGAWI Abeba	SWE	4:03.70		16	1
2	LANGAT Nancy Jebet	KEN	4:04.53		2	3
3	SHARMINA Yekaterina	RUS	4:04.55	SB	1	6
4	WEIGHTMAN Laura	GBR	4:06.22
5	SIFUENTES Nicole	CAN	4:06.45
6	KUIJKEN Susan	NED	4:06.84
7	ENGLAND Hannah	GBR	4:07.23
8	MUIR Laura	GBR	4:07.76	PB
9	ANDERSON Gabriele	USA	4:07.98
10	DOBRISKEY Lisa	GBR	4:08.08
11	BUCKMAN Zoe	AUS	4:08.48
12	UCENY Morgan	USA	4:08.49	=SB
13	JAMAL Maryam Yusuf	BRN	4:09.99	SB
	HARRER Corinna	GER	DNF
	PLIS Renata	POL	DNF

Men’s 1500: Wote over Iguider as No Brits Get The Standard

200 to go and Iguider leads

On paper, we expected this race to come down to 2013 Bowerman mile third placer (3:49.88 mile) and 2012 Olympic bronze medallist Abdelaati Iguider and that’s what happened as Wote kicked past Iguider for the victory in this event which wasn’t a Diamond League race.

The race was certainly disappointing for the five Brits. Five came in with a seasonal best in the 3:38s and none got the IAAF ‘B’ standard of 3:37.00.

Tulsa star Chris O’Hare was the first British finisher in eighth in 3:38.54.

Chris O’Hare sporting a Scotland singlet

Quick Thought #1: We feel that O’Hare was better than his time indicated as he had a compromised trip and used up a lot more energy than he should have.

With 500 to go he was in 5th or 6th trying to move up but got bumped. He lost a lot of of momentum (maybe his shoe came loose?) as he fell way back – all the way to 12th at the bell, but then with 200 to go, he was back up there challenging before losing steam. He made a lot of moves and ran a lot of the race in lane 2. He possibly could go sub 3:37 in the right race with a smooth trip.

1200m: Iguider, Abdelaati (MAR): 2:54.69

This is when O’Hare lost his momentum

Men’s 800: Aman Wins Again

Mohammed Aman celebrates

Ethiopia’s Mohammed Aman picked up his sixth victory in seven tries this year as he pulled away from South Africa’s Andrew Olivier in the final 100 in a race where the field didn’t go with rabbit Matthew Scherer. Aman won in 1:45.18 to Olivier’s 1:45.64 as American Erik Sowinski was fourth in 1:46.07.

Quick Take #1: We know Aman is winning everything in sight but if Rudisha doesn’t show up at Worlds, we certainly don’t view Aman as unbeatable. He’s visibly working very hard to win these races. He’s not cruising to victory like Rudisha so often does.

Rank	Athlete	Nation	Result		Diamond Points	Diamond Ranking
1	AMAN Mohammed	ETH	1:45.18		10	1
2	OLIVIER Andre	RSA	1:45.64		3	3
3	OSAGIE Andrew	GBR	1:45.80		3	3
4	SOWINSKI Erik	USA	1:46.07
5	MUTAI Jeremiah Kipkorir	KEN	1:46.29
6	WARBURTON Gareth	GBR	1:47.50
7	WIECZOREK Mark	USA	1:48.74
8	MOHAMMED Mukhtar	GBR	1:51.97
	SCHERER Matthew	USA	DNF
	RIMMER Michael	GBR	DNS

Women’s Steeplechase: Milcah Chemos wins again.

It was pretty close at the last water jump

Kenya’s Milcah Chemos picked up her third straight Diamond League steeple win as she held off Ethiopians Sofia Assefa and Hiwot Ayalew in the homestretch and won in a meet record 9:17.43. The Ethiopian national record holder and Olympic bronze medalist Assefa was second in 9:17.97 with Ayalew third in 9:18.83.

2013 world leader Lydia Chepkurui, who was the winner in Doha and New York earlier this year, fell off by 200 meters remaining and was a well beaten fourth (9:23.00).

Quick Take #1: This race featured the five best women in the World in 2013 and four of them were together on the last lap, Milcah Chemos, Sofia Assefa, Hiwot Ayalew, and Lidya Chhpkurui.

Chemos has been known the last two years for dominating the Diamond League Circuit and then faltering at the Worlds/Olympics. This year, after finishing 5th in the season opener, Chemos is back to doing what she nearly always does, win on the Diamond League circuit, but the question remains will she time it right for Worlds.

71.27 last lap for Chemos (outside water jump).

Genevieve LaCaze struggling after a fall

QT #2: It was a touch day for the Americans or those with American ties. Three Americans finished the race and they finished last, next to last and fourth to last with 2013 US champ Nicole Bush being the highest finisher in 9th in 9:51.19.

Additionally, former Florida runner Genevieve LaCaze had a pretty bad fall mid-race. She tried to continue but literally had to use her hands to get over a barrier and then wisely decided to drop out.

Rank	Athlete	Nation	Result		Diamond Points	Diamond Ranking
1	CHEMOS Milcah	KEN	9:17.43	MR	8	2
2	ASSEFA Sofia	ETH	9:17.97		6	3
3	AYALEW Hiwot	ETH	9:18.83		2	4
4	CHEPKURUI Lidya	KEN	9:23.00		10	1
5	DIRO NEDA Etenesh	ETH	9:28.90		2	4
6	KIRUI Purity	KEN	9:32.16
7	CHEROTICH Fancy	KEN	9:43.23
8	BOBOCEL Ancuta	ROU	9:46.03	SB
9	BUSH Nicole	USA	9:51.19
10	WAITE Lennie	GBR	10:06.73
11	BALLINGER Mary	USA	10:09.24
12	GARCIA Stephanie	USA	10:12.89
	ALEMU Birtukan Fente	ETH	DNF
	LACAZE Genevieve	AUS	DNF
	NYAMBURA Virginia	KEN	DNF