LetsRun.com’s Preview Of The 2013 London Anniversary Games Diamond League Meet

by LetsRun.com
July 24, 2013

The 2013 Sainsbury’s Anniversary Games meet will take place over two days – Friday and Saturday – in London later this week.

Because the World Championships start two weeks from Saturday, many of the top African distance runners are skipping this one completely.

That’s probably alright for the Brits as they like to water down some events so Westerners do well. There are plenty of opportunities in this one for that as a few of the distance events are brazenly lacking in international quality.

Nonetheless (or maybe because of that fact), there is plenty of reason for American fans to watch (and approximately 90% of our audience comes from America), as a ton of Americans race here, including Mary Cain, Jordan Hasay, Molly Huddle, Shannon Rowbury, Morgan Uceny, Galen Rupp, Matthrew Centrowitz, Dathan Ritzenhein, Nick Symmonds, Duane Solomon, and many more.

Article continues below player.

We preview the mid-d and distance action for you in the order that it occurs.

Note, because of vacation schedules, LetsRun.com may not provide its own recap of this meet. If it does show up, it will likely show up on Sunday. If you think you are capable of covering it like we normally do, email us.

Jordan Hasay will be running in the swoosh in the UK for the 1st time Jordan Hasay will be running in the swoosh in the UK for the 1st time

3:15PM ET Fri.: Women’s 3,000 (DL Event): A Rare American Victory In A Watered-Down Field? Jordan Hasay’s Diamond League Debut

This women’s 3,000 is a Diamond League event in London, meaning it counts towards the year end 3,000/5,000 Diamond League points race and offers a $10,000 first prize. However, there isn’t a single woman on the start list who has earned a point so far in the other DL races.

That’s good news for US fans as the leading entrants very well may be two of the US’s three entrants in the 5,000 for Worlds – 5,000 American record holder Molly Huddle and Shannon Rowbury. The third US entrant in Moscow, Kim Conley, is here as well, but we don’t expect her challenge for the win.

3,000 might be a little short of a distance for Molly Huddle, but she comes in here after a recent 1,500 PR of 4:08.09. Rowbury might be the American to beat since it’s only a 3,000 as she ran a strong 4:01.28 1,500 last week in Monaco.

Updated: Gabrielle Anderson was one spot behind Rowbury in Monaco in a pr of 4:01.48 so she could be a factor here as well.

US 10,000 runner Jordan Hasay makes her Diamond League debut in this race as well. She’s certain to garner a ton of US Internet attention but she likely will be overmatched in this one. Hasay’s old college rival in Canada’s Sheila Reid, who has run 4:02 this year for 1,500, is here as well.

If Rowbury or Huddle don’t win, the winner is likely to be the one Kenyan in the field, 21-year-old Irene Cheptai, who was 5th at the Kenyan Trials. 5th at the Kenyan Trials sounds impressive but realize she was 11 seconds behind third. That being said, she did run a 14:50 5,000 at the Diamond League opener in Shanghai.

Spain’s 30-year-old Dolares Checa ran 14:46 in 2011 but only 15:17 this year.

Quick Take #1: Our eyes will firmly be on the Americans.

 

ATHLETE DATE OF BIRTH NATION PB SB
25.06.1986
USA
8:43.52
31.03.1988
AUS
8:58.23
10.10.1991
GBR
9:13.68
9:26.19
27.12.1982
ESP
8:37.78
9:16.08
04.02.1992
KEN
9:09.8h
14.03.1986
USA
8:56.38
14.06.1989
USA
9:11.59
9:25.17
09.12.1986
USA
8:51.38
29.01.1994
GBR
8:55.11
9:12.53
21.09.1991
USA
9:15.78
31.08.1984
USA
8:57.75
8:57.75
25.11.1990
GBR
9:11.35
02.08.1989
CAN
09.05.1989
USA
14.09.1984
USA
8:31.38
17.08.1989
GBR
8:50.89

3:36PM ET Fri.: Women’s 1,500: Mary Cain’s European Debut

The women’s 1,500 is another event lacking in top notch international talent but is one that is very much a must-watch event for American fans as it serves as the European debut for US teen sensation on the pro circuit, Mary Cain (Cain raced last year in Barcelona at World Juniors).

Cain races for the first time since her runner-up showing at the US trials and she very well could be the winner here. The leading entrant based on 2013 times is US champion Treniere Moser, who barely edged Cain at USAs. Moser was awful in Monaco last week, where she finished last, and will be looking to regain some momentum heading into Worlds.

Moser is the 13th fastest woman on the year at 4:02.85 but none of the top 12 are running in this one.

One star who is here is 2011 World #1 Morgan Uceny, who is hoping to get her first good result of 2013. Uceny ran a good 1,200 in Lausanne as she was still in the top 5 before fading to last. Will she put it all together here?

The person we expect to win the race is the person who was the runner-up in Lausanne, 20-year-old Ethiopian Sifan Hassan. She’s lowered her PR from 4:08.24 to 4:03.73 this year.

There are two other African-born runners in the field who should be watched. 32-year-old Btissam Lakhouad, who was 4th at Worlds in 2011, has been struggling this summer and was a DNF in Lausanne.

21-year-old Betlhem Desalegen, who now competes for the United Arab Emirates, is racing in this one as well.

Katie Mackey of the US at 4:04.60 has the fourth fastest season’s best in the field and could be a factor.

Quick Take #1: Our eyes will be firmly glued on Cain, Moser and Uceny.

ATHLETE DATE OF BIRTH NATION PB SB
21.12.1988
AUS
4:05.03
4:05.91
03.05.1996
USA
4:04.62
4:04.62
13.11.1991
UAE
4:05.13
4:05.13
19.01.1991
GER
4:04.30
4:06.60
01.01.1993
ETH
4:03.73
4:03.73
07.06.1988
GBR
4:11.54
4:13.17
08.07.1986
NED
4:05.38
4:05.38
29.11.1987
KEN
4:03.18
4:03.56
07.12.1980
MAR
3:59.35
4:04.63
12.11.1987
USA
4:04.60
4:04.60
27.10.1981
USA
4:02.85
4:02.85
09.05.1993
GBR
4:07.76
4:07.76
05.02.1985
POL
4:03.50
4:06.39
30.06.1986
CAN
4:04.65
4:04.65
02.11.1990
GER
4:05.62
4:05.62
10.03.1985
USA
4:00.06
4:08.49
19.12.1988
USA
4:09.13
4:09.13

3:56PM ET Fri.: Women’s 800 (DL Event): Brenda Martinez Headlines As Jessica Judd And Ajee Wilson Clash Again

2013 US runner-up Brenda Martinez will race for the last time before Moscow in this one. On paper, she’s the expected winner as she comes in hot after a 4:00.94 1,500 PR in Monaco last week.

Others that would like to upend Martinez include 2013 NCAA indoor and outdoor champion Natoya Goule of LSU/Jamaica as well as British champ Marilyn Okaro and British runner-up Jessica Judd. Judd will also be looking to avenge her loss from last year at World Juniors to US Moscow team member Ajee Wilson, who races here as well. Last year at World Juniors, Wilson won and Judd was second.

The lone African runner in the field is Kenya’s Nelly Jepkosgei. The 22-year-old was fourth at the Kenyan Trials and has a 2:00.19 PR.

Quick Take: If Martinez doesn’t win, we think Okaro is your winner.

ATHLETE DATE OF BIRTH NATION PB SB
05.08.1988
CAN
1:59.76
1:59.76
05.09.1987
IRL
2:02.63
2:02.63
19.01.1974
CAN
1:58.39
2:01.12
30.03.1991
JAM
1:59.93
1:59.93
14.07.1991
KEN
2:00.19
2:00.19
07.01.1995
GBR
1:59.85
1:59.85
17.02.1991
ROU
1:59.74
2:01.56
08.09.1987
USA
1:58.18
1:58.18
23.09.1984
GBR
1:58.45
1:59.76
08.05.1994
USA
1:59.55
1:59.55

 

9:33PM ET Fri.: Men’s 800: The US’s Three Moscow Bound Runners Battle It Out

This race features the fastest 800-meter man on the year.

No, no, David Rudisha is still injured.

Believe it or not, 2013 US champion Duane Solomon is the fastest man on the year so far this year. US runner-up Nick Symmonds is the fourth-fastest and US third placer Brandon Johnson is sixth.

They’ll duke it out here along with the fourth placer at the Kenyan Trials, 22-year-old Job Kinor, who missed going to Moscow by just .02.

US 5th placer Tyler Mulder is down to 1:44.34 on the year. Could he soon be a member of the sub-1:44 club as well?

Quick Take #1: How do Symmonds and Solomon look here? That will be our focus. Solomon won his first DL meet last week in Monaco and with another win here, he very well might be a co-favorite for Worlds along with Ethiopia’s Mohamed Aman. Don’t discount Symmonds though. He beat Solomon after USAs in Edmonton.

ATHLETE DATE OF BIRTH NATION PB SB
01.03.1990
USA
1:45.35
1:45.35
02.03.1985
USA
1:43.84
1:43.84
08.05.1990
KEN
1:43.76
1:44.24
02.09.1989
POL
1:43.30
1:44.76
01.12.1990
GBR
1:45.90
1:46.65
15.02.1987
USA
1:44.34
1:44.34
19.02.1988
GBR
1:43.77
1:45.41
03.02.1986
GBR
1:43.89
1:44.97
28.12.1984
USA
1:42.82
1:43.27
20.02.1980
NED
1:43.45
1:48.21
30.12.1983
USA
1:42.95
1:43.70

10:16AM ET Sat.: Men’s Mile (DL Event): Souleiman Leads A Field That Is Stacked Full Of Americans Led By Galen Rupp And Matt Centrowitz

A ridiculously large field of 19 is entered in this one.

It’s led by Djibouti’s Ayanleh Souleiman, who is having an outstanding year. He currently sits at #3 on the 2013 World 800 list (1:43.63), #4 on the mile list (3:50.40) and #9 on the 1,500 list (3:32.55).

But US fans will be paying close attention to this one as it features World Championships medal hopefuls Matt Centrowitz and Galen Rupp.

The main rival on paper to Souleiman might very well be 2011 bronze medalist Matt Centrowitz of the US. He ran 3:33.58 in Monaco last week. Does he continue to improve here?

What about Rupp? His training partner Mo Farah just shocked the world with a 3:28 1,500 last weekend when he dropped down in distance. Could Rupp stun the world in similar fashion here as well? Remember, Rupp did run a 3:50 mile indoors earlier this year. That being said, all of Rupp’s outdoor 2013 races so far this year have been worse than what he ran last year.

Rupp and Centrowitz may not even be the top American in this race. Jordan McNamara has quietly been running very well in Europe so far this year. He’s the third fastest American on the year at 3:34.00 and has a nasty close over the last 200. If he is close with 200 to go, watch out. Garrett Heath (3:34.12), David Torrence (3:34.19) and Andy Bayer (3:34.37) also have been putting up fast times in non-DL European races so far this year.

The top Kenyan to watch for is either the 4th placer in the 5,000 at the Kenyan Trials, Augstine Choge, or Collins Cheboi, who is the sixth-fastest man in the world this year at 1,500 (3:31.53)

James Magut, who did an excellent job of rabbiting Asbel Kiprop last weekend in Monaco, finally gets to race on his own here. He was the winner of the International Mile at Prefontaine.

Norway’s Henrik Ingebrigtsen was fifth in the Olympics last year. Morocco’s Mohamed Moustaoui has been sixth at the last two Worlds.

Quick Take #1: How do Centro and Rupp look? That is huge for us.

That being said, it’s nice to see the other Americans get a big chance here. It would be exciting to see someone like McNamara take a big scalp here.

ATHLETE DATE OF BIRTH NATION PB SB
03.02.1990
USA
18.06.1988
GBR
3:54.80
18.10.1989
USA
3:51.79
3:51.79
25.09.1987
KEN
3:51.44
3:51.44
21.01.1987
KEN
3:50.14
24.01.1985
GBR
3:59.69
4:01.98
07.11.1993
GBR
3:57.90
03.11.1985
USA
3:55.91
3:55.91
24.02.1991
NOR
3:54.28
3:55.50
09.08.1984
KEN
27.11.1984
KEN
3:48.28
3:56.13
20.07.1990
KEN
3:50.68
3:51.11
07.03.1987
USA
3:54.89
3:55.76
02.04.1985
MAR
3:50.08
08.05.1986
USA
3:57.72
21.11.1983
USA
03.12.1992
DJI
3:50.21
3:50.40
26.11.1985
USA
3:52.01
3:57.43
09.06.1989
AUT
3:53.95
3:53.95

10:37AM ET Sat.: Men’s Steeplechase (DL Event): Brimin Kipruto Runs After Being Snubbed By The Kenyan Selectors

This Diamond League steeple only has one entrant with a seasonal best under 8:10 and three under 8:20.

That doesn’t mean there isn’t some quality in the field. The field is led by 2008 Olympic champ Brimin Kipruto. We’re surprised the Kenyans left him off the World Championships team as he was third at the Kenyan Trials and the Kenyans get to run four at Worlds. Had he not been tripped at the Olympics last year, we think he’d have two Olympic medals to his name.

We imagine he’ll get a nice $10,000 consolation check here, but if he runs fast, the Kenyans should boot Paul Kipsiele Koech off the team and put Kipruto on it.

If Kipruto doesn’t win, we imagine the winner will either be the one sub-8:10 guy in the field, 19-year-old Gilbert Kirui, who was the runner-up at World Juniors last year or 20-year-old Jairus Birech. Birech was fourth at the Kenyan Trials and Kirui was fifth.

The third and fourth placers at USAs are here in De’Sean Turner and Andrew Poore, as is two-time NCAA champ Matt Hughes of Canada.

Quick Take #1: Why was Kipruto left off the Kenyan team in favor of Paul Kipsiele Koech? Koech’s excuse is he doesn’t run well at altitude, so if we were the Kenyans, we’d at least have had them race here with the winner going to Worlds.

ATHLETE DATE OF BIRTH NATION PB SB
14.12.1992
KEN
8:03.43
8:10.27
04.11.1988
GBR
30.06.1986
CAN
8:19.33
8:23.43
22.03.1985
GBR
8:28.48
8:45.44
03.08.1989
CAN
8:21.34
8:21.34
31.07.1985
KEN
7:53.64
8:14.9h
22.01.1994
KEN
8:09.50
8:09.50
15.08.1983
KEN
8:15.80
8:24.90
21.05.1990
AUS
8:34.87
8:34.87
03.12.1988
USA
8:26.82
8:26.82
16.09.1988
USA
8:25.56
8:25.56
13.07.1990
GBR
8:28.74
8:28.74
22.07.1986
CAN
8:28.46
8:28.92
11.04.1989
POL
8:23.31
8:23.31

11:32AM ET Sat.: Men’s 3,000: The Mo Farah Show, But How Do The Americans Look?

Double Olympic champ Mo Farah races in this one, which will obviously delight the hometown crowd, as we all now who the winner is going to be.

The question in our minds is how to does Dathan Ritzenhein look here for the US? What about the other sub-13:15 Americans in this race?

2012 Olympic 10,000 bronze medalist Tariku Bekele is here as well, but he only ran 13:13 in Lausanne.

Quick Take #1: This race features the 4-8 fastest Americans on the year at 5,000.

2013 5,000 List
1. Galen Rupp 13:05.17
2. Bernard Lagat 13:07.76
3. Chris Derrick 13:09.04
4. Dathan Ritznhein 13:09.53
5. Ben True 13:11.59
6. Hassan Mead 13:11.80
7. Andrew Bumbalough 13:12.01
8. Ryan Hill 13:14.22

Bold = Running in this race.

Quick Take #2: Mo Farah beat Steve Cram‘s 28-year-old British 1,500 record last week. What about taking down Dave Moorcroft‘s 31-year-old 3000 record of 7:32.79 here?

Quick Take #3: We looked up the two Kenyans in the field and believe they are rabbits. Gathimba has rabbited many DL events this year and Kombich hasn’t finished a race all year.

ATHLETE DATE OF BIRTH NATION PB SB
28.02.1987
ETH
7:28.70
14.03.1987
USA
7:44.71
23.03.1983
GBR
7:38.15
09.03.1980
KEN
7:40.10
7:42.18
31.01.1990
USA
16.01.1985
KEN
28.03.1989
CAN
11.09.1981
GBR
7:51.17
7:54.61
28.08.1989
USA
7:46.18
7:46.18
27.12.1986
GBR
7:58.33
07.10.1985
ITA
7:41.74
8:06.46
30.12.1982
USA
7:39.03
7:47.65
17.04.1981
GBR
7:43.34
29.12.1985
USA
7:44.40
07.01.1986
GBR
7:45.75
7:45.75

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