5000m MEN
So many titles and records for Ugandan Joshua Cheptegei: Olympic gold medallist in Tokyo and world record holder in 5000m with 12:35.36 in Monaco and in 10,000m with 26:11.00 in Valencia, both in 2020, world champion at 10,000m in Doha and Eugene, and former world gold medallist in cross country. He returns to Florence for his season debut on the track, as he hasn't competed since the World Championships in Oregon. His last competition in Italy is at the Golden Gala in Florence (2021), when he was sixth in the 5000m won by Jakob Ingebrigtsen achieving the European record. From that evening, Cheptegei meets again the Canadian record holder Mohammed Ahmed (12:47.20) and the Mohamed Katir of Spain (12:50.79), but will also challenge the last winner of the Golden Gala, the Kenyan Nicholas Kipkorir, who last year at the Olimpico in Rome set the meeting record in 12:46.33. A distance which the Golden Gala has brought several times to the firmament of athletics with two world records, by Saïd Aouita in 1987, the first man under thirteen minutes, and by Moses Kiptanui in 1995, then also two years ago with the European record of Ingebrigtsen.
The other stars: from Kenya Jacob Krop, who won the silver medal in Oregon22, the Ethiopians Selemon Barega, Olympic gold medallist at 10,000m in Tokyo and bronze medallist at 5,000m in Doha 2019, Berihu Aregawi, Diamond League champion in 2021, Telahun Haile Bekele, Yomif Kejelcha (Diamond League champion in 2015), Samuel Tefera (twice 1500m world indoor gold medallist), Getnet Wale, winner of the Diamond League at 3000 steeplechase in 2019, and the Swedish national record holder Andreas Almgren. The spectacular entry-list is completed by the USA record holder Grant Fisher (12:46.96) and his compatriot Joe Klecker, Luis Grijalva of Guatemala (13:02.94), fourth at the Worlds, the strong runner from South Sudan Dominic Lokinyomo Lobalu, the Burundian Thierry Ndikumwenayo, Australians Stewart McSweyn and Jack Rayner, and Irishman Paul Robinson. Golden Gala statistics: never an Ugandan success, eleven wins by Ethiopians and ten by Kenyans. Europe with three victories, Ingebrigtsen in 2021, the British Hamer in 1992 and Salvatore Antibo in 1990.
World record 12:35.36 Joshua Cheptegei (Uga) | Monaco | 14 August 2020
Meeting record 12:46.33 Nicholas Kipkorir (Ken) | Rome | 9 June 2022
World lead 13:00.17 Richard Etir (Ken) | Nobeoka | 4 May 2023
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1500m WOMEN
World number one, Faith Kipyegon, returns to Florence after two years to take Kenya's first victory in the women's 1500m, after losing to Dutch Sifan Hassan, in one of the most memorable races of the Golden Gala two years ago, and will find the fiercest opponent in the Scottish Laura Muir, who was third that night. Kenyan Kipyegon, who set the national record in 3:53.91 in Florence 2021, boasts two Olympic titles in the 1500 metres and as many world gold medals. She has the second-best performance ever (3:50.37, three-tenths off Genzebe Dibaba's record). At her season debut in Doha, she has already clocked 3:58.57. Muir, the iron Scotswoman, is European champion for two consecutive editions, Olympic silver and world bronze medallist, British record holder with 3:54.50 and two-time Diamond League champion. In 2023 she has won the European indoor title and is expected in Florence for the season outdoor debut. Last year, in Rome, Muir was third, preceded by the Ethiopian couple Hirut Meshesha and Axumawit Embaye, who is also competing in Florence with the intention of improving on the second place of the Olimpico in 2022.
Other athletes competing in Florence have PB lower than four minutes, such as the Canadian record holder Gabriela DeBues-Stafford and the Australian Jessica Hull (competing with her compatriots Linden Hall and Abbey Caldwell), the other Ethiopian Diribe Welteji, the European silver Ciara Mageean of Ireland and American Josette Andrews-Norris. Also in the entry list Cory Ann McGee, Sage Hurta-Klecker and Brooke Feldmeier from United States. Three Italian women competing: Federica Del Buono, European gold in the mixed relay cross country at Venaria Reale, Ludovica Cavalli and Sintayehu Vissa.
World record 3:50.07 Genzebe Dibaba (Eth) | Monaco | 17 July 2015
Meeting record 3:53.63 Sifan Hassan (Ned) | Florence | 10 June 2021
World lead 3:54.03 Gudaf Tsegay (Eth) | Rabat | 28 May 2023
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3000m STEEPLECHASE WOMEN
A stellar race, which the Golden Gala hosts for the seventh time, with five consecutive Kenyan wins up to the last one, in 2018. There is the world record holder Beatrice Chepkoech (8:44.32), fourth in season debut in Doha, a world gold conquered in 2019 and twice Diamond League champion, the American Emma Coburn, world champion 2017 and silver medallist two years later. The Ethiopian Mekides Abebe is competing from the last world podium in Eugene, fifth performer ever in 8:56.08 and the gold and silver pair of the European Championship in Munich, Luiza Gega of Albania and the German Lea Meyer.
Ethiopia not only with Abebe, but also with the formidable Sembo Alemayehu, born in 2005, among the fastest under 20s ever in the world with her wonderful debut with 9:05.83 in Doha, and her 21-year-old compatriot Zerfe Wondemagegn. In the race, the winner of the first stage of the Wanda Diamond League 2023, the Bahraini Winfred Mutile Yavi, sixth ever in 8:56.55, and still the other Kenyans Jackline Chepkoech, Fancy Cherono and Faith Cherotich, the Slovenian record holder Marusa Mismas-Zrimsek, the French record holder Alice Finot, the Tunisian Marwa Bouzayani, the other American Courtney Wayment, the Canadian Regan Yee and the Ukrainian Nataliya Strebkova. For attacking the Golden Gala record, there is everything necessary for the feat: the goal is to beat the 9:04.96 of the Kenyan Hyvin Kiyeng Jepkemoi.
World record 8:44.32 Beatrice Chepkoech (Ken) | Monaco | 20 July 2018
Meeting record 9:04.96 Hyvin Kiyeng Jepkemoi (Ken) | Rome | 31 May 2018
World lead 9:04.38 Winfred Mutile Yavi (Brn) | Doha | 5 May 2023
