Why Faith Kipyegon and Beatrice Chebet Are Out of Diamond League Final in Zurich

Global athletics stars will descend on the Swiss city of Zurich when the 2025 Diamond League final takes place on Thursday but two of them in Faith Kipyegon and Beatrice Chebet will be absent.

Kipyegon and Chebet were set to light up the event in Zurich but have opted against featuring as they want to focus on their preparations for the World Championships.

That decision has swung the pendulum in different ways as far as favourites for the $30,000 Diamond League Trophy is concerned as the two were frontrunners in their disciplines.

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Kipyegon, who has won five Diamond League Trophies, has had no equals in the 1,500m for years and was considered favourite for a sixth one, and possibly another world record, after lowering her own mark in Eugene in July.

The same can be said of Chebet, who has been dominant in the 5,000m, breaking the world record in Eugene, and was considered the woman to beat over the distance.

However, the two have decided not to give out much of their strategy ahead of the World Championships set to take place in Tokyo, Japan from September 13 and also conserve their energy for what they consider a priority event.

Kipyegon will double in Tokyo, looking to defend her 5,000m and 1,500m titles, while Chebet will do the same, looking for her first-ever world title as she contests the 5,000m and 10,000m at the Worlds.

In their absence in Zurich, Jessica Hull of Great Britain is now favourite to claim the 1,500m Diamond League Trophy while Ethiopian Gudaf Tsegay will be confident of running away with the 5,000m crown.