Kemboi to lead Kenya's charge at London Diamond League

African bronze medallist in the 5,000m, Cornelius Kemboi, will shift his focus to Saturday's London Diamond League after missing a ticket to represent Kenya at the Paris Olympics.

Kemboi placed fifth at the Olympic trials held last month, clocking 13:29.73 in the 5,000m.

He trailed Emmanuel Kiplagat (13:28.09), Edwin Kurgat (13:27.75), Jacob Krop (13:27.54) and Ronald Kwemoi (13:27.20).

Kemboi will spearhead Kenya’s charge in the men’s 3,000m, making his second Diamond League appearance of the year after a sixth-place finish in the 5,000m in Xiamen, China, where he clocked 13:02.49 on April 20.

In that race, Bahrain’s Birhanu Balew (13:00.47), Nicholas Kipkorir (12:59.78) and Ethiopia’s Lamecha Girma (12:58.96) took the podium.

Kemboi’s recent international exploits include a fourth-place finish at the FBK Games in Hengelo, Netherlands, with a time of 13:09.76 in the 5,000m. He trailed Ethiopia’s Tadese Worku (13:02.56), Kipkorir (13:02.25), and Talehun Bekele (13:01.12).

Kemboi’s accolades include a bronze medal from the 2022 Bauhaus Galan meet in Stockholm, where he clocked 7:31.26 in the 3,000m, finishing behind Uganda’s Jacob Kiplimo (7:29.55) and South Sudan’s Dominic Lokinyomo (7:29.48). 

He won gold in the 5,000m at last year’s Night of Athletics in Heusden-Zolder, Belgium, with a time of 13:00.68.

Additionally, he boasts gold medals from the 2022 Montreuil International Meeting in France (13:04.31) and the IFAM Oordegem Meeting in Belgium (13:12.19), both in the 5,000m.

Kemboi will be joined by Emmanuel Kiplagat, who holds a bronze medal from the 2022 Villa de Laredo 10km Road Race (27:50) in Spain.

The 22-year-old, based in Japan, holds a title from last year’s All Japan Corporate Teams’ Athletics Championships, where he clocked 27:27.10 in the 10,000m.

He also secured victories at the 2022 Hachioji Long Distance Meeting (27:07.59) and last year’s Hyogo Relay Carnival (27:32.07) in the 10,000m.

Joining them will be US-based Edwin Kurgat and Ibiza 10km Road Race champion Gideon Rono.

The Kenyan quartet will face fierce competition from 2022 World 3,000m U20 champion Melkeneh Azize of Ethiopia, who is also the 2021 World U20 bronze medallist in the 1,500m (3:40.22).

Representing the hosts will be 2022 European U20 champion Will Barnicoat, along with Scott Beattie.

Other notable competitors include Mike Foppen of the Netherlands, Ireland’s Brian Fay and Nicholas Griggs, and the USA’s Grant Fisher.