Double Olympic champion David Rudisha is one of four Kenyan track stars set to take centre stage at the Shanghai Diamond League meeting Saturday May 13, when many of the greatest distance runners in the world will be stretching their legs in pursuit of early season points.
Rudisha was fifth on his Shanghai debut 12 months ago and the 800m world record holder is relishing the chance to make amends as he takes on fellow-Kenyan Olympic finalists Ferguson Cheruiyot and Alfred Kipketer, plus Polish pair Adam Kszczot and Marcin Lewandowski.
Shanghai is the second leg of the athletics Diamond League, following the opening Doha Diamond League on May 5, where Uganda’s Jacob Kiplimo featured and finished 7th in the 3000m.
Two Ugandans will compete in Shangahi.
Seventeen-year-old Peruth Chemutai, who finished 7th in the junior women’s race of the World Cross Country Championships, renews her 3000m steeplechase rivalry with several Kenyans and Ethiopians who did well in Kampala.
Top on the list in Shanghai is Olympic 3000m steeplechase champion Ruth Jebet of Bahrain and silver medalist Hyvin Kiyeng from Kenya. The race is however a Shanghai event, and does not count to the Diamond League points.
Mercyline Chelangat will run the 5000m that has a star field that includes Kenya Olympic 5,000m silver medallist Hellen Obiri.