World junior cross country champion Beatrice Chebet is looking to crown her senior debut with a fight against compatriot Helen Obiri who leads the charge in the women’s 3000m race at the IAAF Doha Diamond League meeting this Friday at Qatar.
Chebet, a product of Lemotit training camp in Londiani, is also spoiling for a fight with Ethiopians who are expected to field five runners, led by 2015 World 1500m Champion Genzebe Dibaba.
According to Doha provisional list, Ethiopians are expected to field the likes of Halu Lemiem, Gudaf Tsegay, Eigayehu Taye and Meskerem Mamo. Other Kenyans in the field include Agnes Tirop, Winny Chebet and Loice Chemnung among others.
Chebet, who has just turned 18, ran a fantastic race to clinch the world junior cross country diadem in Aarhus, Denmark in March, edging out Ethiopian pair of Alemitu Tariku and Tsigie Gebreselama in the closest of margins.
“I have just turned 18 and I am looking forward to a fight with more experienced Kenyans and Ethiopians in the senior cadre. Obiri has been dominant on the track so it will be a steep learning curve for me in Doha. I don’t expect to beat Obiri but I believe the journey to the top begins with Doha. I will give it my best shot. It might take a little bit longer but again you have to start from somewhere,” said Chebet, who also won a 5000m gold at Africa Championships in Ivory Coast recently.
Chebet’s sterling performance in Aarhus earned her the StarTimes Sports Personality of the Month last week. Chebet has a personal best of 8:59.72 in 3,000m.
This year’s Doha Diamond League is marking its 10th anniversary and the organisers are looking forward to celebrating this milestone with another night of world-class athletics.
Doha hosted the first Diamond League meeting on May 14, 2010, at the Qatar Sports Club. David Rudisha’s 1:43.00 in the 800m and Eliud Kipchoge’s 12:51.21 in the 5,000m were among the meet records set during the inaugural event.
