Kipyegon targets double gold in Paris, Wanyonyi is third fastest in history
Sports
David Rudisha holds the 800m record for men, which he set in 1988 by clocking 1:40.91
NAIROBI (Reuters) – Double Olympic champion Faith Kipyegon said she is looking forward to a bright summer in Paris, where she will chase two gold medals, after winning the 1500m and 5000m at the Kenyan Olympics Trials in Nairobi.
Despite not competing since September’s Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, the 30-year-old secured her ticket in both distances for the Paris Olympics with a season's best performance.
A day after winning the 5000m in 14:46.28, the Rio and Tokyo Games 1500m champion demonstrated her mastery of the distance on Saturday, setting the track ablaze with a record time of 3:53.98, the fastest time ever in the women’s 1500m in Kenya.
"I am looking forward to a bright summer (at the Games),” Kipyegon, who also holds the world record for 1500m, said after the race.
“It was my plan to see and execute what’s possible today. I wanted to run 3:55, but it was surprisingly 3:53. I’m excited to be back on the track and executing this way.
"It was my plan to run a faster 1500 than the 5000m yesterday, I am grateful I made both teams and won both races.”
The athletics competition at the Paris Olympics will take place from Aug 1-11 at the Stade de France.
THIRD FASTEST 800M TIME
Teenager Emmanuel Wanyonyi sprinted to the third fastest 800m time in history at the Kenyan Olympics Trials, setting a blistering statement barely a month before the Paris Games.
The 19-year-old clocked one minute 41.70 seconds, the quickest time since 2012 and less than a second off the world record of 1:40.91 set by fellow Kenyan David Rudisha in 1988.
Only Rudisha and Wilson Kipketer have gone faster than Wanyonyi did on Friday.
Wanyonyi was the silver medallist at last year's world championships in Budapest.
