Athlos 2024: Kipyegon makes it 26-1 in head-to-head clashes with Ethiopian rivals

Triple Olympic champion Faith Kipyegon proved she is the best ever 1500m runner the world has ever seen after she defeated, for the umpteenth time, her rivals, including two Ethiopians, Diribe Welteji and Gudaf Tsegay, to win the $60,000 worth Athlos title.

The Kenyan, 30, ran clocked 4:04.79 to win ahead of Welteji (4:05.58) and her compatriot Susan Ejore (4:06.25). The other Ethiopian in the race, Gudaf was fourth in4:06.81.

With the victory, Kipyegon has thus extended her superiority over her major rivals.

The win means the Kenyan Olympics, World and Diamond League champion has won in 10 of 11 head-to-head clashes with Welteji dating back to the 2020 Olympics when Kipyegon won in the heat with the Ethiopian third.

Interestingly, the only time Welteji defeated Kipyegon was at the Paris 2024 Olympics when the Kenyan was only seeking a place in the semifinals.

Kipyegon also made it 16-0 against Gudaf in the event and 4-0 against Ejore in head-to-head clashes.

Like she did at the Olympics in Paris, Kipyegon will now be looking to win her third 1500m title in a row, and fourth overall, at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Japan next September.

In the 800m, Mary Moraa (1:58.05) lost for the third straight time to in four meetings to Ethiopia’s Olympics silver medalist, Tsige Duguma (1:57.43) while Jasmine Camacho-Quinn (12.36) ended her post Olympics season without a defeat after failing to successfully defend her Olympic title in Paris.

Masai Russell, the Olympics champion was third in 12.44 behind fellow American, Alaysha Johnson who ran 12.43 for second.

In the 100m, Marie-Josee Ta Lou-Smith ran 10.98 to win while Olympic Marileidy Paulino (49.59) won in the 400m for the 11th time this season with Nigeria-born Salwa Eid Naser third (50.40).

Olympic 200m champion, Gabby Thomas (22.21) was shocked by compatriot, Brittany Brown (22.18) in the 200m event.