Kenyan teen Kibet breaks 5K meet record in Italy

Kenyan teenager Michael Kibet broke the meeting record in the 5000m at the Palio della Quercia in Rovereto, Italy on Tuesday.

In a close 5000m race, Kibet – who finished third at the Kenyan Championships just five days ago – took 14 seconds off his PB to win in 13:11.08, improving Hayle Ibrahimov’s meeting record of 13:11.34 from 2012. Compatriot Erick Kiptanui was second in 13:11.51.

Kenya’s Collins Kipruto launched a well-timed kick to win the 800m in a PB of 1:44.42, comfortably beating compatriot Jonathan Kitilit (1:45.38) and USA’s Isiah Harris (1:45.55). Norway’s Edda Hynne won the women’s event in a season’s best of 2:00.53.

Denmark’s Olympic silver medallist Sara Slott Petersen edged Commonwealth champion Janieve Russell in the 400m hurdles, clocking a season’s best of 54.89, her fastest time since 2017. Russell clocked 55.25 ahead of Canada’s Sage Watson (55.76).

Abubakar Abbas from Bahrain pulled away in the final straight to win the men’s 400m in 45.04 ahead of Jamaica’s Nathon Allen (45.43) and Akeem Bloomfield (45.74).

Two days after clocking a season’s best of 11.09 in Madrid, world 100m champion Tori Bowie had to contend with a slight headwind of -0.4m/s in Rovereto but nevertheless won the 100m in 11.42.

Belgium’s 2017 European U23 champion Ben Broeders cleared 5.72m to win the men’s pole vault on countback. Commonwealth silver medallist Henry Frayne won the long jump with a second-round leap of 8.11m.

Albania’s Luiza Gega won the women’s 3000m steeplechase in 9:26.73, narrowly missing the meeting record by 1.64 seconds, but finishing comfortably ahead of Fancy Cherono (9:31.60) and Geneviéve Lacaze-Gregson (9:37.67).

Lithuania’s Edis Matusevicius produced a last-round effort of 82.31m to win the men’s javelin from Hungary’s Norbert Rivasz Toth (81.90m).