To have five Personae-managed women’s steeple specialists ranked in the top-17 of this season’s steeplechase world performance chart is an accomplishment in itself. To have those same five athletes qualifying for, and selected by, their national athletics federations to represent their respective countries in the ’17 IAAF world championships in London is yet another feat. To have those same five athletes all advance from the London steeple heats into the championships final would be very special milestone for the group – and that’s exactly what happened on 9. August.
In steeplechase heat no. 1, Gesa Krause won a slow, tactical race in 9:39.86, while Purity Kirui finished 3rd in 9:40.53, with both advancing to the final in auto-qualifying positions (top-3). In heat no. 2, Ruth Jebet placed 2nd in 9:19.52, to also auto-qualify for the final. In heat no. 3, Celliphine Chespol won in 9:27.35 to auto-qualify for the final, while Winfred Yavi finished 4th in 9:28.00, to advance to the final as the second-fastest of six time qualifiers. The women’s 3000m steeplechase final will take place Friday evening, 11. August.
In the men’s 5000m heats, none of the Personae athletes qualified for the final. Bashir Abdi was the top finisher in the group, placing 6th in his heat with a time of 13:30.71, just 0.35 seconds from the auto-qualifying 5th position. In the same heat, Albert Rop finished 14th in 13:32.40.