Faith Kipyegon Suffers Back-to-Back Losses as Agnes Jebet Ng’etich Steals the Spotlight in Monaco

Faith Kipyegon suffered a second loss in a week when she finished fourth in the 3000m at the Monaco Diamond League on Friday.

Kipyegon was coming into the race on the back of a loss at the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene last Saturday, when she finished third in the one mile.

However, any hopes of righting those wrongs quickly disappeared when she was put to the sword in Monaco.

Kipyegon could only finish fourth in a time of 8:24.21 in a race won by fellow Kenyan Agnes Jebet Ng’etich, who clocked a world leading time of 8:08.95. Ngetich came close to breaking Junxia Wang's world record of 8:06.11, setting the third fastest time over the distance behind Kipyegon's 8:07.04 as she finished 14 seconds ahead of the rest.

Ethiopian Aleshign Baweke, timed a personal best 8:23.81 for second place with compatriot Senayet Getachew completing the podium also in a personal best 8:24.02.

However, all eyes were on Kipyegon, who has been invincible in the last 10 years, a period in which she had not lost two straight races.

Kipyegon was last defeated back-to-back in 2016, when she finished second in 1,500m at the Paris Diamond League, before seventh place over the same distance in Zurich.

The three-time Olympics champion has been dealing with a hamstring issue whose effects look to be still taking its toll on her.