BY MUIGAI KIGURU AND AGENCIES
Rudisha and Yego however finish third and fourth respectively in Zurich
Commonwealth and Africa champion Caleb Mwangangi Ndiku wrapped up the season on a high as he won the Samsung Diamond League 5,000m title in Zurich on Thursday night.
Ndiku took the lead just ahead of the bell and then went through the gears. He held off all his opponents to win in 13:07.01, but it was a close run thing.
He was chased home by Ethiopia’s Muktar Edris, who set a world-leading time in Stockholm last week, but didn’t quite have an answer to Ndiku’s sustained acceleration and was just 0.31 behind the winner.
USA’s Galen Rupp again was caught just slightly short of speed on the last lap and was third in 13:07.82 as less than three seconds the first six men home.
An excited Ndiku took to Facebook saying: “Finally, I won the Diamond League 5000m title (Gold) 2014. A big thank you to my coach, the team behind this success and my fans worldwide for giving me the will to win this title. I recognize all other athletes for great competition and everyone who followed the Diamond League.”
However, it was not such a happy ending for world 800m record holder David Rudisha as a change of tactics saw him fail to sparkle.
Kenyan pacemaker Sammy Tangui took the field through the first lap in 49.69 with Pierre-Ambroise Bosse three metres back.
The Frenchman then took over in pole position for the next 250 metres, passing 600m in 1:17.34, before the phalanx of African runners closed around him as the field entered the home straight. With 60m to go, Botswana’s 2014 world leader Nijel Amos burst to the front as Rudisha slowly eased his way forward from the back of the pack where he ran for most of the race with world 1500m champion Asbel Kiprop following closely.
However Nijel, who struggled in Stockholm last week where he faded to fifth, the exhaustive runs from the Commonwealth Games and African championships getting the best of him, managed to hold on to the lead all the way to the line he crossed in 1:43.77, enough to clinch the Diamond Race.
Behind him, Djibouti’s 2014 world indoor 1500m champion Ayanleh Souleiman closed in for second in 1:43.93 going past the charging Olympic champion Rudisha winner of the 600m race in Birmingham third in 1:43.96.
Commonwealth and African javelin champion wrapped up the season fourth on the standings with his third throw of 84.71.
Yego, who had also finished fourth in Stockholm managed 74.87m in his opening throw and wound up his diamond league points chase with a last round throw of 79.31m.
“That’s it. The Diamond League 2014 ends on high note. For the good results all through, I thank God. Fourth place, again. Thank you my fans. You have been amazing to me,” said Yego.
He also revealed that he had sustained a slight injury and is hopeful of recovering in time for the IAAF Continental Cup mid next month.
Courtesy of the-star.co.ke