2013 Diamond League Shanghai: Kiprop vs. Kiplagat and Willis at 1500, A Stacked Men’s Steeple, Dibaba vs. Defar at 5000, Pamela Jelimo at 800 and More

A Fan’s Guide To The Second Stop of the 2013 Diamond League Season

by LetsRun.com
May 17, 2013

The second stop of the 2013 IAAF Diamond League season takes place Saturday evening in Shanghai, China, Saturday morning in the US. Internet/television coverage takes place from 8 am to 10 am ET on Saturday morning: 2013 Shanghai Schedule, Start Lists and TV/Internet Viewing Info.

Mid-d and distance wise, there are four events that will certainly entertain.

In the men’s 1,500, the top two fastest men in the world from last year in Asbel Kiprop and Silas Kiplagat of Kenya will face each other for the second time in 8 days with 2008 Olympic silver medallist Nick Willis added to the mix.

In the men’s steeple, a former Olympic champ will battle the near-world record holder as well as a guy who we think may be the future of the event. Then there is the women’s 800 where Pamela Jelimo will try to hold off the revelation of last year’s campaign, Francine Niyonsaba, of Burundi. In the womens’ 5000, 1500 star Genzebe Dibaba tries to get revenge on Meseret Defar for beating her sister Tirunesh at the Olympics last year.

Article continues below player.

We preview the mid-d and distance action for you below in the order that events occur.

The rest of the meet has some great matchups.

One of the highlights will be the fact that the last three long jump gold medallists – Irving Saladino, Dwight Phillips and  Greg Rutherford – will clash. There are also are gold-silver rematches from London at 110 hurdles (Aries Merritt vs. Jason Richardson) and 400 (Kirani James vs. Luguelin Santos).

The full IAAF meet preview which talks about the 7 2012 Olympic gold medallists in Shanghai is here.

You can see the full schedule and start-lists here.

8:14 am ET: Men’s 1500: Asbel Kiprop vs. Silas Kiplagat and Nick Willis

Athlete DATE OF BIRTH Nation PB SB
06.08.1988
KEN
3:31.00
3:31.90
25.09.1987
KEN
3:32.08
3:32.85
21.01.1987
KEN
3:29.47
25.04.1994
ETH
3:34.55
11.10.1988
ETH
3:31.45
3:34.49
20.02.1988
CZE
3:38.10
25.03.1987
MAR
3:31.47
3:35.85
20.08.1989
KEN
3:29.27
3:34.57
30.06.1989
KEN
3:28.88
3:31.13
27.11.1984
KEN
3:29.02
3:33.05
20.07.1990
KEN
3:33.31
3:40.66
14.11.1989
NZL
3:36.53
21.04.1987
KEN
3:32.55
01.01.1987
KEN
3:43.43
25.06.1993
CHN
3:42.05
3:49.99
26.05.1991
MAR
3:34.52
25.04.1983
NZL
3:30.35
3:34.68
12.03.1989
CHN
3:41.56
3:49.93

This race features the top two 1,500 runners in the planet over the last few years in 2011 gold and silver medallists Asbel Kiprop and Silas Kiplagat of Kenya. Both of them flamed out spectacularly at last year’s Olympics but Kiprop was spectacular last week in the DL opener in Doha.

Kiplagat seemingly wasn’t fazed by Kiprop’s fine run in Doha where Kiplagat was just 10th as Kiplagat was talking very big earlier this week in the Kenyan press. He told The Standard earlier this week that he’s in fantastic shape, “I am in top form like never before and I want to prove myself at the world champs.”

Silas Kiplagat almost goes down Silas Kiplagat almost goes down

He certainly didn’t run like that in Doha but Kiplagat did go almost go down just before the bell. In our minds, he was too far back to contend at that point but we’ll likely find out his true form in Shanghai barring a Morgan Uceny-like second compromised trip.

In addition to the Kenyan clash, the race also includes New Zealand’s Nick Willis, the 2008 Olympic silver medallist. Willis has been dominating the US scene so far in 2013. He’s purposely been burning it hot early in 2013 as his wife is going to have a baby soon and he’ll take it low-key for a month before gearing up again for the August world champs.

The only person to stay within one-second of Kiprop in Doha was Bethwell Birgen who also is in Shanghai.

8:47 am ET: Men’s Steeple: Abel Mutai, Paul Kipsiele Koech, Brimin Kipruto and Conseslus Kipruto Clash

Athlete DATE OF BIRTH Nation PB SB
11.02.1992
UGA
8:14.48
14.12.1992
KEN
8:03.43
8:15.26
20.04.1987
KEN
8:10.63
30.06.1986
CAN
8:19.33
8:23.43
04.03.1989
UGA
8:03.81
31.07.1985
KEN
7:53.64
08.12.1994
KEN
8:03.49
22.01.1994
KEN
8:11.27
10.11.1981
KEN
7:54.31
15.08.1983
KEN
8:15.80
8:24.90
27.01.1987
CHN
8:27.14
9:00.45
02.10.1988
KEN
8:01.67
8:19.31
01.01.1985
KEN
8:05.88
8:19.63
16.02.1985
MAR
8:07.02
8:41.00
22.07.1986
CAN
8:28.46
8:31.39
02.04.1992
KEN
8:07.71

This race includes one Olympic medallist from last year – 2012 Olympic bronze medallist Abel Mutai who also was the third fastest man in the world last year.

However, the 24-year old is not the man to beat here as he lost early in the year in Tokyo to 20-year old Jairus Birech, who was 4th at the Kenyan Trials last year.

The man to beat is probably 31-year old Paul Kipsiele Koech, who seems to be the king of running fast on the DL circuit, particularly early in the year. Koech, who struggles at altitude and rarely makes a Kenyan national team as a result, ran 7:56.58 in his DL opener last year in May before nearly getting the world record in Rome at 7:54.31.

Brimin Kipruto going down with 700 left in London

That being said, the race also includes 2008 Olympic champ Brimin Kirputo. Kipruto started slowly last year (over 8:25 in his DL opener in May) but was in great form heading into the Olympics after winning the Kenyan Trials and running 8:01.73 in Paris. At the Olympics, he went down with a fall with 700 to go which ruined his chances of being the first man since 1936 to defend his steeple gold.

Quick Take: Not sure if betting is allowed on this overseas somewhere but if you are looking for an upset pick, we’d say go with18-year old Conseslus Kipruto. The 2011 World Youth and 2012 World Junior steeple champ ran 8:03 last year at age 17 and was 5th at world juniors this year in XC. He might represent the future of the event.

More: 2012 Olympic Steeplechase Recap

9:05 am ET: Women’s 800: Pamela Jelimo vs. Janeth Jepkosgei and Francine Niyonsaba 

Athlete DATE OF BIRTH Nation PB SB
25.12.1987
MAR
1:59.54
2:02.67
17.12.1987
BLR
1:59.30
20.12.1990
KEN
1:59.37
2:04.6h
15.03.1988
POL
2:00.20
05.12.1989
KEN
1:54.01
13.12.1983
KEN
1:56.04
08.12.1992
KEN
1:59.68
26.04.1989
IND
1:59.17
08.12.1988
RUS
1:58.55
05.05.1993
BDI
1:56.59
17.01.1995
CHN
2:01.34
09.07.1988
CHN
2:01.46

2008 Olympic champ Pamela Jelimo finally returned to pretty good form last year after two horrible years. She got down to 1:56 and was fourth at the Olympics after two years where she didn’t break 2:00. Will that progress continue again this year for Jelimo who is still just 23?

We’ll find out on Saturday. There is only one person in the field who we think can challenge Jelimo if Jelimo is having a good day and that’s Burundi’s Francine Niyonsaba. The total neophyte was one of the revelations of the 2012 season as she got down to 1:56 as a 19-year old during her first year on the circuit.

4-time Olympic/World Championship medallist Janeth Jepkosgei is also in the field and she did make the Olympic 800 final last year (finished last), but the 29-year old seems to be beyond her best days at 800. She talked about moving up to 1,500 last year.

Kenya’s 20-year old Cherono Koech made the Olymic team for Kenya last year as the 5th placer at the Trials as not enough people in Kenya had the ‘A’ qualifier. Koech was the 2009 world youth champ.

Tatyana Markelova of Russia was 5th at the Russian Trials last year but didn’t run faster than 2:03 indoors this year.

India’s national record holder Tintu Luka is also in the field. She went out in the semis of the Olympics last year.

Quick Take #1: Francine Niyonsaba often ran like a novice last year as she made multiple moves in races and the 800 is an event where our coaching philosophy is, “You only have one move – use it wisely,” and yet she still did well.

*2012 Olympic 800 Recap

9:25 am Women’s 5000: Genzebe Dibaba Tries To Get Revenge on Meseret Defar For Big Sis

Athlete DATE OF BIRTH Nation PB SB
26.06.1988
UGA
16.01.1994
ETH
15:32.95
23.01.1986
ETH
14:31.20
04.02.1992
KEN
16:02.0h
07.05.1991
KEN
14:35.13
02.01.1974
GBR
15:06.75
19.11.1983
ETH
14:12.88
08.02.1991
ETH
14:37.56
09.02.1994
ETH
14:53.06
15.01.1995
ETH
15:46.89
05.05.1992
ETH
14:58.23
09.05.1995
ETH
15:34.73
15:34.73
28.03.1984
KEN
14:31.91
22.12.1983
KEN
14:34.86
05.03.1992
KEN
14:57.68
04.04.1993
KEN
15:17.75
09.04.1978
KEN
15:08.28
01.03.1992
CHN
15:38.15
16:25.65
31.12.1992
ETH
14:48.43
15:37.69

This race features the Olympic 5000 champion Meseret Defar – make that the two time Olympic champion Meseret Defar. Just when we were ready to declare Tirunesh Dibaba as the GOAT (greatest of all-time), Defar stunningly beat Dibaba for the 5000 gold in London. She also won the 5000 in 2004.

In terms of worthy challengers, there are a lot to choose from. 2009 and 2011 world championship silver medallist Sylvia Kibet of Kenya finds herself in a situation she is used to – trying to bounce back after an agonizing 4th place finish. Only last year she was 4th at the Kenyan Trials whereas in 2007 she was 4th at Worlds and in 2008 she was fourth at the Olympics (2011 LRC story on Kibet. 2009 LRC story on Kibet). Last year, she struggled with injuries but she said this week that she’s pumped for 2013.

The  fifth and sixth placers from the London Olympics in Gelete Burka and Violah Kibiwott are both running in Shanghai as well.

Meseret Defar was in tears after winning gold last year

But for us, the challenger we’ll be focused on is Tirunesh Dibaba’s younger sister – Genzebe. The 1,500 star has a 5000 pb of 14:37.56 from 2011. Given the fact that her 3:57.54 in Doha last week only got her third, might she move up to the 5k? Ironically, the 5000 is the event that she first tried to do as a pro (but she didn’t break 15:00 from 2008 to 2010) before moving down to greater success at 1,500. She’s still only 22.

Quick Take #1: Just your average DL 5000 where there are six women running that have a PB better than the American record of 14:44.76.

*2012 Olympic 5000 Recap

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