NAIROBI, May 17-- Steeplechase world record holder Beatrice Chepkoech has called on her fans not to raise their expectations of a fast time at the Shanghai Diamond League on Saturday. However, Chepkoech maintained she is in good form to fend off any pretenders eyeing her title, which she won in last year's race in Shanghai. "Training has been good and there are no concerns over fatigue or injury. I just want to test myself and position my season on a high as I start in Shanghai. The season has many events and one is the Shanghai Diamond League, where I hope to win," said Chepkoech. She destroyed the world record in Monaco last year in 8:44.32, before going on to win the IAAF Diamond League title. Having finished fourth at the 2016 Olympic Games and the 2017 World Championships, the Kenyan won the African title last year. More recently, she finished seventh at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships. In Shanghai, she will come up against 2017 world champion Hyvin Kiyeng, who has a lifetime best of 9:00.01 at the 2016 Prefontaine Classic. Others opponents include Celliphine Chespol, Norah Jeruto and Daisy Jepkemei. Chepkoech has shown good recent form, clocking a near personal best time of 8:29.83 over the 3,000m flat race at the Diamond League opener in Doha last week. On paper, Peruth Chemutai and Winfred Mutile Yavi, with career bests of 9:07.94 and 9:10.74 respectively, appear closest to toppling Chepkeoch. Yavi, still only 19, took a steeplechase/5,000m double win at the Asian Championships last month and was also third in a tactical 1,500m final. |