Rome Diamond League: Chebet and Tsegay set for elite battle in 5,000 metres

Battle royale will take place Friday as World record-holder Gudaf Tsegay and Olympic champion Beatrice Chebet go head-to-head over the 5000m distance at the Golden Gala Pietro Mennea in a race that looks set to provide one of the highlights of the Wanda Diamond League meeting in Rome.

Chebet is one of six Olympic champions who’ll be in action in the Italian capital, and the Kenyan heads there in sensational form.

At the recent Diamond League meeting in Rabat, she cruised to an 8:11.56 African record over 3000 metres, going to second on the world all-time list.

That performance ensured that Chebet even spoke about taking part in the shorter race going forward.

"You never know. I might go for it in future," the effervescent Chebet said in Rabat.

Prior to that, Chebet had won over 5000m in Xiamen, beating Tsegay by one second.

That said, Tsegay is the last woman to beat Chebet in a Diamond League race, doing so at the Diamond League Final in Eugene in 2023. She also posted a world record to boot (14:00.21).

Chebet finished second on that occasion in a PB of 14:05.92, but her recent form suggests it’s ready for revision.

The meeting record of 14:12.59 is a slightly easier but still lofty target.

Two-time world indoor champion Freweyni Hailu is also entered, as is home favourite Nadia Battocletti, the Olympic 10,000m silver medallist, along with USA’s Karissa Schweizer.

Both athletes will be keen on preparing well for the World Athletics Championships, which will take place in Tokyo, Japan, from 13 October to 21 October 2025, where the best athletes in the world will converge to search for the biggest honours in athletics.