Kiprop Makes Statement at Emsley Carr Mile
Manzano, Centrowitz top 10 finishes in storied Mile in Birmingham, England; 14 men sub-4
By LetsRun.com
Asbel Kiprop hadn’t won a Diamond League 1500 / Mile since the season-opener in Doha on May 9, but there was no doubt about who was best on this day. Kiprop turned on the jets over the final 100 meters to pull away for the win in the storied Emsley Carr Mile clocking 3:51.89 at the Sainsbury’s Birmingham Grand Prix. Though his margin of victory was only .18 seconds, Kiprop let up at the end and could have won by more if he was going all out. World leader Ayanleh Souleiman of Djibouti was second in 3:52.07 and Kenyan Vincent Kibet was a surprising third in his Diamond League debut in 3:52.15.
In the battle for U.S. supremacy, American 1500m champ Leo Manzano had the better last 300 to beat Matthew Centrowitz as Manzano was 8th in 3:53.05 and Centrowitz ninth in 3:53.46.
The Race
This one featured a huge field of 15 runners plus two rabbits, but instead of getting out with the rabbits early and creating space to run, the field bunched up. The rabbits passed 400 in 56.4 with a small gap on the field and by 600, Ethiopian-born German Homiyu Tesfaye was the only man with the rabbits as he led Souleiman and Kiprop by about seven meters.
The first rabbit hit 800 in 1:53.46 with Tesfaye a few meters behind; Tesfaye’s lead had grown to 10 meters over the rest of the field, still led by Souleiman and Kiprop (Kiprop passed 800 in approximately 1:55.6).
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