Three of Under Armour Dark Sky’s brightest stars — 1,500-meter specialists Neil Gourley and Vince Ciattei, and distance runner Weini Kelati — found some stiff competition on Friday at the Monaco Diamond League meet.
All ran well, but came up short against international fields.
In the men’s 1,500, Gourley, the Scot who will represent Great Britain in the Olympics, came within five-one hundredths of a second of of his personal best to finish fifth at 3:30.65 in a race dominated by Norway’s Jacob Ingebrigtsen, who blazed to a world-leading 3:26.783.
Ciattei, participating in his first race since his impressive fourth-place finish in the U.S. Olympic Trials, placed ninth in 3:32.04. Friday’s result was Ciattei’s second fastest 1,500 ever, coming off that nearly three-second PR (3:31.78) at the Trials. Gourley and Ciattei, who ran together at Virginia Tech and train together as Dark Sky teammates in Flagstaff, both had to sidestep a fallen runner in the first lap, but the mishap did not affect either of their efforts.
Kelati, fresh off winning the U.S. Olympic Trials 10,000 meters to secure her Paris spot, went down in distance to race in a stacked 5,000 meters. The pace, however, went out at a slow pace and became a kicker’s race in the final lap and a half. Kelati tried to maintain contact with the large pack, but fell off at the bell lap.
Her time of 14:44.91 was well off her personal best of 14:35.43 set at the Diamond League Prefontaine Classic in May (14:35.43), but it was easily her second fastest 5,000 ever, and she showed she can maintain a fast pace, which should help in the Paris 10,000 meters. Friday’s 5,000 was won by Kenya’s Margaret Akidor in 14:39,49, showing an impressive closing kick.
Leave a Reply