The 2013 world 800m champion and three-time Diamond Race winner Eunice Sum and 3000m steeplechase trophy winner Jairus Birech will lead a host of Kenyan track stars to the IAAF Diamond League meeting in Rabat, Morocco on May 22.
Sum will battle it out with world indoor champion Francine Niyonsaba and world champion Marina Arzamasova in their two-lap race specialty.
In addition to Sum and Arzamasova, the field contains six of the eight finalists from last year’s World Championships, including Morocco’s Rababe Arafi, Britain’s Shelayna Oskan-Clarke, European bronze medallist Joanna Jozwik and last year’s Rabat winner Renelle Lamote.
2012 European champion Lynsey Sharp and world 1,500m finalist Malika Akkaoui add further quality to the line-up.
Birech returns to Rabat following his victory at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium last year and will be up against meeting record-holder Paul Kipsiele Koech, world silver medallist Conseslus Kipruto and two-time Olympic silver medallist Mahiedine Mekhissi.
Having won over 3,000m in Rabat last year with an African all-comers’ record of 8:22.22, Almaz Ayana will contest the 5000m in the Moroccan capital this year.
The Ethiopian will line up against top six finishers from last year’s World Championships, including, 2013 world silver medallist Mercy Cherono, Viola Kibiwot, Commonwealth silver medallist Janet Kisa and world silver medallist Senbere Teferi.
Zuzana Hejnova, twice a winner of the world title and the Diamond Race, leads a 400m hurdles field.
