Mo Ahmed leads the pack at the 2019 Canadian ChampionshipsTHE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Chiasson
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Chiasson

Mohammed Ahmed wins bronze at Diamond League in Florence

Long-distance specialist Mohammed Ahmed won bronze in the 5000m race at the third stop of the Diamond League circuit in Florence, Italy.

Norwegian Jakob Ingebrigtsen was the fastest with a time of 12 minutes and 48.45 seconds, which is the best time in the world this year. He was followed by Ethiopian Hagos Gebrhiwet, second with 12:49.02. Ahmed crossed the line third with a season’s best of 12:50.12.

Teammate Justyn Knight took fifth place with a personal best time of 12:51.93. He finished ahead of Uganda’s Joshua Cheptegei, the current world record holder in the event.

This is Ahmed’s second career Diamond League medal. He won his first back in 2016, also a bronze in the 5000m. Last week, Ahmed received an early nomination for Tokyo 2020 in the 10,000m event.

TOKYO 2020 QUALIFICATION TRACKER

Also competing was Gabriela Debues-Stafford, who finished fourth in the 1500m event, with a time of 4:00.46. At the end of last month, she became the first Canadian woman to break two minutes in the 800m, four minutes in the 1500m and 15 minutes in the 5000m.