OTC Elite's Kipyego clocks second fastest 5k of her career at Pre Classic

EUGENE ---- Friday night’s 5,000-meter race at the Prefontaine Classic was a “struggle” for OTC Elite’s Sally Kipyego, so she was pleasantly surprised when she heard her time: 14 minutes, 39.71 seconds – the second-fastest mark of her career.

The 25-year old Kenyan neared her personal best of 14:38.64 (which she set in August of last year), but couldn’t match the final move of the lead pack and finished fourth.

“Ooh, even better – I thought it was 14:42 or 43 – that’s good, that’s good,” Kipyego said after hearing her time. “I’m surprised. I thought 14:39 was supposed to be painful.”

Still, Kipyego was a little disappointed about not closing like fellow Kenyans Vivian Cheruiyot, Linet Masai and Mercy Cherono, who went 1-2-3 with times of 14:33.96, 14:35.44 and 14:37.01 respectively. Cheruiyot’s time was a Pre Classic meet record.

“Overall I think it was a good effort. I didn’t feel as smooth as I’d like to, but it was a good race,” Kipyego said. “I wanted to go out and compete today. I wanted to go with the girls and I tried to, but I just couldn’t stay with them.”

Added OTC coach Mark Rowland: “Fourth place is fine in a competitive field like this. Now we’ll have to go back and assess what to do for the Kenyan trials.”

The Kenyan trials take place the second week of July and will decide who represents Kenya at the World Championships in Daegu, Korea. Kipyego has yet to decide on whether she’ll race the 5k or the 10k. Since she now has an IAAF World Championship ‘A’ Standard in both events, she has the freedom to choose.

“It’s tough, almost all the Kenyans I will run against were here tonight. I’m in a better place than I was last year and I still have a month and a half to go,” Kipyego said. “Hopefully I’ll make the team. We haven’t decided (on the 5k or the 10k) yet. We’ll see how I might place and decide.

Also on Friday night, Britain’s Mo Farah – a former athlete of Rowland’s, who currently lives and trains in Portland – lit up Hayward Field with an electrifying 10,000-meter victory. Farah set a European record in a blistering time of 26:46.57. 

Becky Radliff
OTC Elite
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