Both Genzebe Dibaba and Faith Kipyegon qualified for the final of the women’s 1500m at Rio 2016 Olympics, preparing for what will be a big showdown between the East Africans.
Kipyegon easily won heat 1 qualifying with a time of 4:03.95, and Ethiopia’s Dawit Seyaum finishing 2nd in 4:04.23, while America’s Shannon Rowbury finished 3rd in heat 2 with a Season’s Best of 4:04.46.
Heat 2 was never in doubt who would win, with Dibaba shaking off the challenge of Sifan Hassan to win in 4:03.06. Hassan finished 2nd in 4:03.62 and Great Britain’s Laura Muir 3rd in 4:04.16.
Dibaba who is the World Record Holder in this event at 3:50.17 will be looking at beating Kipyegon who is unbeaten this year and has run three of the ten fastest times in the world this season, all other 4 minutes.
These two athletes finished 1 & 2 respectively at the 2015 World Championships in Beijing and still remain the favourite to also finish in that order in Rio, or we might see them swap places on the podium. Although they may not run a WR in the final, but both athletes could go under 4 minutes as they aim to win the Olympic title.
