Agnes Ngetich, 10K World Record Holder, among other Kenyan stars tonight at the Brussels Diamond League

The final Diamond League meeting before the finals will be tonight, August 22nd, at the Brussels Diamond League. The Kenyans to watch include Agnes Ngetich, who holds the world record for the women’s 10K and is the third fastest runner in history in the 5000m, a race she will tackle tonight. With incredible lineups of the world’s best athletes, it appears set to be such an awesome event to remember!

Ngetich made history by becoming the first woman to run a 10K in under 29 minutes when she ran 28:46 last year at the Valencia 10K road race. Her personal best time for the 5000m is also incredible: 14:01.29, which puts her so close to breaking the 14-minute barrier that has only ever been broken by one woman in history.

At 24 years of age, Ngetich is currently ranked by World Athletics as the world’s number one road runner, 6th in the women’s cross country running, 8th in the women’s 5000m and 10th in the women’s 10,000m.

If the weather conditions and her form cooperate well, Ngetich will aim to lower her countrywoman’s meeting record of 14:09.82, which she ran last year.  Everything else that can ever be achieved in the 5000m race here, including the world-leading time of 13:58.06, which is also the current world record, all belong to Chebet, whom Ngetich had finished second to at the Eugene Diamond League meeting.

Janeth Chepngetich, the winner of the 10,000m at the Kenyan trials—where Ngetich finished second—will be one of the pacesetters alongside Winnie Nanyondo of Uganda and another Kenyan, Purity Chepkirui.

Caroline Nyaga, with a personal best time of 14:30.45, will be the other Kenyan in the competitive field of all sub-15-minute women seeking more points to ensure they qualify for the Diamond League final in Zurich.

USA’s Josette Andrews is the second-fastest on paper behind Ngetich, with a personal best and season’s best time of 14:25.37. Others to watch out for in this race include Ethiopians Hirut Meshesha and Likina Amebaw, as well as Nozomi Tanaka of Japan. 

The top two finishers from the Kenyan trails last month; Nelly Chepchirchir and Susan Ejore will feature in the women’s 1500m race.Chepchirchir has had an impressive season so far this year, remaining undefeated. She will hope to maintain her winning streak despite the challenge from world silver medallist Diribe Welteji, 2024 world indoor champion Freweyni Hailu and US champion Nikki Hiltz.

Another interesting Kenyan star to watch tonight will be the youngster Phanuel Koech, who will line up for the men’s 1500m. The 18-year-old is a training partner to the 800m Olympic Champion, Emmanuel Wanyonyi and surprised everyone two months ago when he ran a new World U20 record of 3:27.72 at the Paris Diamond League meeting. He followed that with a win at the London Diamond League where he beat the reigning World Champion, Josh Kerr. Other Kenyans in this competitive field, which has Olympic bronze medallist Yared Nuguse, 2022 world champion Jake Wightman, Bowerman Mile winner Niels Laros, Portugal’s Isaac Nader and others, include Abel Kipsang, Reynold Cheruiyot and one of the pace makers, Boaz Kiprugut.

Two Kenyans, Abraham Kibiwot and Simon Koech, paced by two Kenyans, Wilberforce Kones and Wesley Langat, will feature in the men’s 3000m steeplechase to combine their forces against Ethiopia’s Getnet Wale, Morocco’s Mohamed Tindouft, Germany’s Karl Bebendorf and USA’s Isaac Updike, among others.

Celestine Biwot will run in a rarely run 1 Mile Steeplechase Women against the reigning World and Olympic women’s 3000m Steeplechase champion, Winfred Yavi of Bahrain.

Julius Yego, the 2015 world champion and this week’s Silesia Diamond League winner will feature in the men’s javelin. He will be in a competitive field that includes world leader Julian Weber, two-time world champion Anderson Peters and 2012 Olympic champion Keshorn Walcott.