Little-known Mark Lomuket runs world-leading time to upset Barega in Bergamo

Photo credit : Athletics Hour

The Tuscany Camp Silver Meeting in Bergamo staged an exciting men’s 5000m race dubbed “Olympic Chase 5000m.”

Kenyan Mark Lomuket surprisingly edged Ethiopia's Selemon Barega to win the 5000m in a world leading time of 13:01.68 on Wednesday May 12 in Bergamo, Italy. . It was expected to be a tough contest between Ethiopia’s Hagos Gebrhiwet and Selemon Barega, and Kenya’s Edward Zakayo. But, the last stages of the race saw just two runners exchanging the lead at the front. The audience would cheer when Barega took to the front and the announcer shouts out his name, but then the other little-known runner would overtake him and the cheers would go down a bit as they wondered who he was.

With about 150m to the finish line, Mark Lomuket sprinted past Barega who seemed to have had no more energy to react. Lomuket went ahead to cross the finish line in a world-leading and personal best time of 13:01.68. Barega, who is ranked as world number one for the 5000m event, followed to take second in 13:02.47. Uganda’s Oscar Chelimo finished third, also in an Olympic qualifying time of 13:06.79. Dinkalem Ayele came in fourth with a time of 13:28:56