Chepkoech and Welteji Lead Stellar Field in ORLEN Copernicus Cup

World 3000m steeplechase record-holder Beatrice Chepkoech headlines a formidable women’s 1500m field at the upcoming ORLEN Copernicus Cup, a World Athletics Indoor Tour Gold meeting in Poland scheduled for February 6.

Among the contenders is Ethiopia’s Diribe Welteji, who recently set a world record in the mile at the World Athletics Road Running Championships in Riga, clocking 4:20.98.

Other notable participants include world indoor 1500m bronze medallist Hirut Meshesha from Ethiopia and Uganda’s 2019 world 800m champion Halimah Nakaayi.

Welteji, the reigning world road mile champion and 1500m silver medallist, will face tough competition from Hailu, the world indoor 800m silver medallist, and Chepkoech, the Kenyan record-holder in the 1500m short track. Chepkoech achieved her national record of 4:02.09 in 2020.

In another exciting event, multiple US record-holder Grant Fisher is set to clash with world champion Josh Kerr in the two-mile race at the Millrose Games in New York on February 11. The race aims to target the world indoor two-mile best of 8:03.40.

The star-studded lineup for the two-mile race includes top athletes such as Joe Klecker, Cooper Teare, Dylan Jacobs from the USA, George Beamish from New Zealand, Morgan McDonald and Ky Robinson from Australia, Matthew Stonier from Britain, Keita Satoh from Japan, and Samuel Firewu and Addisu Yihune from Ethiopia, along with Germany’s Sam Parsons.

Another thrilling contest awaits in the men’s pole vault at the Millrose Games, featuring Olympic and world medallist Chris Nilsen against North American record-holder KC Lightfoot.

US athletes Zach McWhorter, Matt Ludwig, and Zach Bradford will also vie for top honors. This marks the first time since 2014 that the men’s pole vault will be contested at the Millrose Games.