Women's and Men's Mile Preview for the World Athletics Road Running Championships
World and Olympic 1500 meters champion, Faith Kipyegon, has her sights set on clinching her third world gold medal this year. She is building on her triumphant victories in the 1500 meters and the 5000 meters at the World Championships in Budapest.
Kipyegon set three world records on the track in the 1500 metres with 3:49.11 in Florence, in the mile with 4:07.64 in Monaco and in the 5000 metres with 14:05.20 in Paris. She crowned her successful track season by winning the Diamond League final in Eugene in the 1500 metres in 3:50.72.
The Kenyan team will also feature 20-year-old Nelly Chepchirchir, who dipped under the 4 minutes barrier finished fifth at the World Championships in Budapest in 3:57.90 and performed well in the Diamond League clocked a lifetime best of 3:56.72 in Xiamen and 3:56.93 in Brussels.
The Ethiopian team will feature Diribe Welteji, Hirut Meshesha and Freweyni Hailu, who have broken the 3:56 barrier in 2023. Welteji finished second in the 1500 metres to Kipyegon at the World Championships in Budapest in 3:55.69 and at the Wanda Diamond League Final in Eugene improving her PB to 3:53.93.
World indoor bronze medallist Hirut Meshesha improved her PB to 3:54.87 at the Diamond League meeting in Chorzow.
Freweyni Hailu has showed her versatility improving her PBs of 1:57.57 in the 800 metres Chorzow in 2021, 3:55.68 in the 1500m in this year’s Diamond League final in Eugene, 8:26.61 in the 3000 metres in Chorzow in 2023 and 14:23.45 in the 5000 metres in Paris in 2023.
Jessica Hull from Australia is looking to continue her good season after her bronze medal at the World Cross Country Championships in Bathurst last February, her PB of 3:57.29 in the 1500 metres in Florence and the Oceanian record of 4:15.34 in the mile in Monaco.
The Japanese hopes are carried by Nozomi Tanaka, who finished eighth in the Olympic final in the 1500 metres in a national record of 3:59.19.
US 19-year-old Addison Wiley showed her impressive form this season improving her PBs to 1:57.64 in the 800 metres in Bellinzona and 3:59.17 in the 1500m at the Diamond League in Brussels.
Men's Mile Preview
Kenyan 19-year-old Reynold Cheruiyot is looking to end his breakthrough season on a high note. Cheruiyot followed his world under 20 gold medal in the 1500 metres in Cali 2022 with silver medal in the under 20 at the World Cross Country Championships in Bathurst last February. Cheruiyot won the African under 20 gold medal with his PB of 3:30.30 in the 1500 metres at the Diamond League meeting in Chorzow and placed eighth in 3:30.78 at the World Championships in Budapest. He set world under 20 records in the 2000m with 4:48.14 in Brussels and in the mile with 3:48.06 at the Diamond League final in Eugene. The Kenyan team will be also represented by world cross country mixed relay champion Kymbe Munguti.
The Ethiopian team will be formed by Teddese Lemi and Melkeneh Azize. Lemi won the gold medal in the mixed relay at the 2019 World Cross Country Championships and finished fourth in the 1500m at last year’s World Indoor Championships in Belgrade.
Azize will make his debut in a senior World Championships. The 18-year-old Ethiopian middle distance runner won the world under 20 bronze medal in the 1500 metres in 2021 and the world under 20 gold medal in the 3000m in 2022. He improved his PB to 3:33.74 in the 1500 metres at the age of 16 in 2021.
US indoor champion Sam Prakel set the inaugural road mile world record with 4:01.21 and reached the World Indoor Championships final in the 1500m in Belgrade last year. US 20-year-old Hobbs Kessler will make his World Championships debut. Kessler set the North American under 20 record and improved his lifetime PB to 3:32.81 in the 1500m this year.
Ryan Mphahlele from South Africa improved his PB in the 1500m to 3:32.90 and a national record to 13:24 in the 5 km. Mphahlele also set his lifetime best of 3:54.48 over the mile distance.
Mohad Abdikadar Sheik Ali from Italy showed his good form improving his PBs to 3:33.79 in the 1500m in Padua and 7:44.33 in the 3000m in Rovereto.
The Australian team is represented by Matthew Ramsden, who holds PBs of 3.34.08 in the 1500m, 3:51.23 in the mile and 7:35.65 in the 3000m.
World Athletics, together with the primary sponsor TDK, will present the champions of the individual events with a reward of $70,000. An additional bonus of $100,000 will be awarded for the establishment of new world records. The cumulative prize pool for the World Championships amounts to $8,498,000.
