NAIROBI, Kenya, June 3, 2026 – Japan-based runner Margaret Akidor will lead a three-woman Kenyan contingent in the women’s 5000m at the fourth leg of the Diamond League in Rome on Thursday evening.
Akidor will be flying the national flag high, alongside fellow countrywomen, the 2022 African champion Caroline Nyaga and the 2020 World Under 20 1500m champion Purity Chepkirui.
The 23-year-old comes onto the track with a season’s best of 15:01.44, a time she ran when on her way to a second-place finish at the Oda Mikio Memorial on April 29.
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Akidor will be hoping for a first Diamond League victory since 14:39.49 to win the same race in Monaco in July 2024.
For Nyaga, Rome presents a perfect opportunity to atone for a poor start to her Diamond League season in Shanghai on May 16, during which she clocked 14:36.55 to finish ninth in the 12-and-a-half lap race.
The 32-year-old’s last victory came just over a year ago – at the Tokyo 5km road race in which she stopped the timer at 14:19 for the win.
Meanwhile, Chepkirui will be looking to build upon an impressive third place finish in her last competition – ASPTT Meeting in Cote d’Azur in France – where she clocked 15:30.35 in the women’s 5000m.
The 23-year-old has had a fairly impressive start to her season, cruising to victory at the Seiko Golden Grand Prix in Tokyo after clocking 4:16.11 in the women’s 1500m.
Standing between the trio and the podium place are a number of top athletes including Olympic 5000m silver medalist Nadia Battocletti of Italy, Olympic 3000m steeplechase champion Winfred Yavi of Bahrain, African Games champion Medina Eisa and World Under 20 bronze medalist Marta Alemayo, both of Ethiopia, among others.