Below is an excerpt from the Lap Count newsletter, posted with permission. Kyle Merber’s Lap Count newsletter both entertains and enlightens fans about athletes and happenings in our sport.
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From the Lap Count Newsletter
The Monaco Diamond League should be on every track fan’s bucket list, if not for the chance to take in one of the best non-global championship meets on the planet, then at least because of the high probability of getting invited onto a yacht. Although this year’s meet was smushed between the Commonwealth Games and the European championships, the performances still lived up to the hype. TBD on the yacht scene.
In the men’s 3000m, we were properly introduced to Burundi’s Thierry Ndikumwenyao, who ran 12:59 for 5000m earlier this year in Rome, but missed the World Championships due to a hamstring injury. Before this year, Ndikumwenyao had remained relatively stagnant in his performances since 2015, when he first ran 13:27 at 18 years old. Well, the hamstring looks fixed!
Ethiopia’s Berihu Aregawi came out hot and chasing history as he strung out the field coming through the 2000m split in 4:54 — within striking distance of world record pace. But on the final straightaway, it was clear that the ghost of Daniel Komen took too much out of him and Ndikumwenyao’s more conservative approach won out in 7:25.93.
The world record of 7:20.67 continues to live on as one of the most impressive marks in the books. It is right on par in terms of a point value with the surrounding distances according to the World Athletics scoring tables, but take how infrequently it is contested compared to a 1500 or 5000m into consideration.
Meanwhile, I am burying the lede for all my AMERICA FIRST readers. Grant Fisher finished third with a time of 7:28.48 to break Bernard Lagat’s record of 7:29.00. That’s his third American record this year!
There isn’t much more Faith Kipyegon can realistically add to her resume. She’s won both the Olympic and World Champion 1500m, twice, and taken down essentially every potential challenger to the throne in the process. But there is one thing she’s likely still got on her to-do list. Lower the world record.
The all-time 1500m list is riddled with questionable performances by athletes who have either been banned for doping at one point in their career or who were closely connected with groups or coaches who were.
(Go down the list and Google each athlete’s name — you’ll understand why Faith Kipyegon is universally being cheered on by so many and considered the undisputed GOAT. The only event that might have a more seedy depth chart is the women’s shot put.)
If the 1500 is historically so dirty, and with how close she is to being the fastest ever, then why do we have faith in Faith? Basically, because the progression makes sense. She was a world junior champion and ran 3:56when she was 19 years old and we’ve watched her as she’s steadily improved since.
In Monaco, the people’s — and Olympic, world, and world junior — champ gave herself a fighting chance with an opening 800m of 2:02. However, 600 meters of solo running ultimately ended up being too much distance to cover with just the help of pace lights. Kipyegon’s final time of 3:50.37 was a painful, yet incredible three-tenths of a second short of the world record.
In the race between everyone else, the Americans fared incredibly well — something that I did not realize until the results popped up on the screen. Heather MacLean, who had a nice battle with Covid earlier in the season, became the 8th fastest American ever, running 3:58.89 for second. And just behind her was Elise Cranny, who you may remember running 30:14 for 10,000m earlier in the season. Bowerman Track Club’s very own Swiss Army Knife ran 3:59.06!
Other fun Monaco Results: (The 1000m is fun, right?) Jake Wightman won it in 2:13.88. Shelly-Anne Fraser-Pryce took the 100m in 10.62. Noah Lyles went 19.46. Natoya Goule ran her 42nd career sub-two, winning in 1:56.98. And with two World Championships a piece, Grant Holloway (12.99) and Kelsey-Lee Barber (64.50m) each won their first ever Diamond League.
