Atheltics Weekly

IAAF WORLD CHAMPS 2017
OBIRI HAS THE CURRENT FORM
5000m
HELLEN OBIRI has looked
unbeatable thus far in 2017 and
looks in far better shape than
when finishing second in Rio.
She medalled at 1500m in the
2013 World Championships
and will undoubtedly have a
strong kick.
Genzebe Dibaba has raced
sparingly in 2017 and was third
in 2015 but seems to have
difficulty using her speed in a
fast-run race.
Defending champion Almaz
Ayana has not raced at all this
year after injury and she was
surprisingly beaten into third in
Rio and it would be a surprise if
she were at her very best.
Senbere Teferi and
Letesenbet Gidey form a
strong Ethiopian quartet.
A DIFFICULT event to evaluate
as many leading runners have
qualified from 2016 performances.
One of those is world-record
holder and Olympic champion
Almaz Ayana who surely will
not be as dominant as in Rio.
Turkey’s Yasemin Can
looks the strongest European
challenger though Konstanze
Klosterhalfen and Sifan Hassan
could do well if contesting this
as a second event.
Margaret Kipkemboi of
Kenya and Americans Molly
Huddle and Shannon Rowbury
The Rio bronze medallist
and former champion Tirunesh
Dibaba has also not raced on
the track in 2017 yet, having
done just three road races, and
many expected her to run the
marathon in London.
A third Ethiopian, Gelete
Burka, who won silver in 2015
and heads the world rankings
this year, completes a strong
team.
As ever, Kenya also field a
good squad led by Rio sub-
30 minute performer Alice
Nawowuna though Irene
Cheptai and Agnes Tirop are
also potential medallists.
European champion
Yasemin Can, a former Kenyan,
will almost certainly head the
European bid for a medal
though is unlikely to match the
Ethiopians.
The British trio will not be
should be challenging for a top
10 place.
While Laura Muir has very
little experience at this event
and it will be her second-string
event, it may, because of the
opposition, be easier to snatch
a medal by just hanging on to
the leaders as long as possible.
a factor for a high place. Trials
winner Beth Potter would need
a PB just to make the top 20
and NCAA champion Charlotte
Taylor has not raced since
winning in Eugene and is not
in the top 40 of qualified
athletes but will benefit from
the experience.
Event statistics
World record: 14:11.15 Tirunesh
Dibaba (ETH)
Champs record: 14:26.83 Almaz
Ayana (ETH)
Defending champion: Ayana
British interest: Eilish McColgan,
Laura Muir, Steph Twell
AW prediction: 1 Obiri (KEN); 2 G
Dibaba (ETH); 3 Ayana (ETH)
History: There have been four
double champions in the 11 runnings
of the event. Gabriela Szabo,
Tirunesh Dibaba, Vivian Cheruiyot
and Meseret Defar.
Eilish McColgan made huge
strides over 3000m at Monaco
and on that form should make
the final as in Rio.
Steph Twell was slightly
disappointing in that race in
Monte Carlo but did make the
2015 final and could do so
again if in sub-15 shape. SS
DIBABA GOES FOR HER FOURTH TITLE
10,000m
Almaz
Ayana:
5000m
champion
chasing
double
gold
Hellen Obiri:
has looked
unbeatable
in 2017
Tirunesh
Dibaba:
chasing
record
fourth
title
Event statistics
World record: 29:17.45 Almaz
Ayana (ETH)
Champs record: 30:04.18 Berhane
Adere (ETH)
Defending champion: Vivian
Cheruiyot (ETH)
British interest: Jess Martin, Beth
Potter, Charlotte Taylor
AW prediction: 1 Dibaba (ETH);
2 Ayana (ETH); 3 Burka (ETH)
History: Tirunesh Dibaba has won
three gold medals at the distance
and she bids for a fourth in London.
Jess Martin was fortunate to
be selected on what has been
disappointing 2017 form, being
world ranked 114th, but she
was 16th in the Rio Olympics.
The easier qualifying
standard than the men’s race,
means that 45 athletes could
line up for the final which will
make it the biggest single
global track final in history. SS
4 4 A T H L E T I C S W E E K L Y