Obiri faces Dibaba in Rabat DL showdown

World champion Hellen Obiri of Kenya and Ethiopia’s Genzebe Dibaba will square off over 5000m at the Meeting International Mohammed VI D’Athletisme de Rabat, the ninth stop of the 2018 IAAF Diamond League, on 13 July.

Dibaba, the world record holder at 1500m and Olympic silver medallist over the distance, is also the fifth fastest of all-time at 5000m with a 14:15.41 personal best from 2015.

Obiri is the Olympic silver medallist and world champion at 5000m, whose 14:18.37 lifetime best, from 2017, ranks her eighth fastest of all time.

Their career paths have crossed twice over the distance, first at Rome’s Golden Gala Diamond League fixture last year, the race in which Obiri produced her lifetime best, taking the victory with Dibaba finishing a distant sixth. Dibaba returned the favour earlier this season, winning in Eugene in 14:26.89, with Obiri a well-beaten third, nearly ten seconds behind.

The meeting record?

That belongs to 2016 double Olympic Champion Almaz Ayana who clocked 14:16.31 in 2016, the sixth fastest performance of all-time.