Kipyegon Runs 3:49.11 For 1,500 Meters In Diamond League

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

Matt Quine Photo/Diamond League

Faith Kipyegon continued her journey into new horizons of women's middle distance running Friday. She became the first woman to break 3:50 in the 1,500 meters in Florence.

Kipyegon smashed Genzebe Dibaba's mark of 3:50.07 set in 2015.

Kipyegon had won two Olympic gold medals and two World Championship gold medals, but did not have a world record until Friday. 

The 29-year-old Kenyan ran even with the wave lights that circled the track and then outkicked those lights and the record over a hard-charging final 200 meters. Her finish time was 3:49.11. 

Femke Bol of The Netherlands ran a world-leading and meet-record 52.43 seconds in the women's 400-meter hurdles. Americans Shamier Little (53.38) and Anna Hall (54.42 personal best) were second and third. 

In a men's 5,000 meters race where 13 men went under 13 minutes, Mohamed Katir of Spain outsprinted Yomif Kejelcha of Ethiopia to win in 12:52.09. Americans Woody Kincaid (12:54.40 for sixth) and Joe Klecker (12:55.16 for seventh) both ran personal best times. Grant Fisher ran 12:56.99 for 11th place. 

In third place, former NAU star Luis Grijalva ran 12:52.97 and stripped 10 seconds off his lifetime best and broke his own Guatemalan national record. 

JuVaughn Harrison made a third-attempt clearance of 2.32m (7-7.25) to earn a victory in the men's high jump. 

Fred Kerley won his second straight Diamond League men's 100-meter dash, clocking 9.84 seconds. 

Erriyon Knighton ran 19.89 seconds to win the men's 200 meters. 

Sembo Almayew of Ethiopia ran a world-leading time in the women's 3,000-meter steeplechase with 9:00.71. Top American Courtney Wayment was eighth in 9:11.41. 

Grant Holloway won the men's 110-meter hurdles in 13.04 seconds. Devon Allen was third in 13.19. 

Katie Moon won the women's pole vault on fewer misses with 4.71m (15-5.50) after matching Tina Sutej of Slovenia for the highest clearance.

Valarie Allman won the women's discus with 65.96m (216-5) despite scratching four of her six throws. 

Jorinde Van Klinken of The Netherlands, who will throw for the University of Oregon next weekend at the NCAA Championships, competed and finished sixth with 62.13m (203-10). 

Italy's Larissa Iapichino gave the local fans something to cheer about with her win in the women's long jump, as she beat second-place Tara Davis-Woodhall by two inches (6.79/22-3.50 to 6.74/22.1.50).

Natalia Kaczmarek of Poland won the women's 400 meters in 50.41 seconds.