How Beatrice Chebet's Impressive Performances in Rome Boosted Her Earnings

• Beatrice Chebet cruised to another commanding victory, leaving her competitors behind in the women's 5000 meters event in Rome.
• Chebet and Omanyala led the Kenyan contingent at the Golden Gala Pietro Mennea in the fifth Diamond League event of the season
• Thanks to the enhanced prize system at the profitable World Athletics competition, the pair managed to amass significant amounts of money.

Beatrice Chebet headed a contingent of Kenyan runners who achieved remarkable success at the Rome Diamond League on June 6.

The Golden Gala Pietro Mennea, which was held at the Olympic Stadium, was the fifth Diamond League event of the season after previous stops in Xiamen, Shanghai, Doha and Rabat.

How Kenyan Athletes Fared at the Rome Diamond League

Chebet was possibly the most impressive athlete of the evening, with the two-time Olympic winner from Paris nearly setting a new world record in the women's 5000 meters event.

Chebet faced off against the world-record holder in the event, Gudaf Tsegay, in Rome, promising an intense competition. But soon enough, it turned into Chebet battling time itself since her rivals struggled to match her pace.

She improved on her personal best, setting a new national record of 14:03.69, but missed Tsegay's world record of 14:00.21. The Ethiopian was fifth this time.

In the men's 100 meters race, Ferdinand Omanyala secured another spot on the podium by finishing third, following closely after Trayvon Bromell and Emmanuel Eseme.

Omanyala came in second at the race in Xiamen, placed eighth in Shanghai, did not participate in Doha, and then secured another second place finish in Rabat.

The Commonwealth champion missed the sub-10 once again, clocking 10.01 seconds as Bromell set the fastest time in the world this year.

During the men’s 1500m event, Timothy Cheruiyot was overtaken in the final 30 meters by France's Azzedine Habz, ultimately finishing in second place. Despite leading most of the race, Cheruiyot couldn’t hold off Habz in the closing stretch.

The script was almost similar in the women's race as Susan Ejore faded away in the last 50m, moving from first place to fifth place. The race was won by Ireland's Sarah Healy.

Diamond League prize money

For the 2025 Diamond League season, winners will earn 10,000 USD in the normal 14 races across the season and 30,000 USD in the final. There will also be a select number of Diamond+ Disciplines, in which athletes can earn higher prize money.

Each Diamond League event will name its special disciplines in advance, where athletes will earn more money. Winners will get 20,000 USD in this category and 50,000 USD in the final.

Why Omanyala, Chebet earned more money

For Rome, the selected Diamond + Discipline races were 5000m women, 1500m women, 100m men, and men's high jump, which means Chebet and Omanyala got increased prize money.

How much Chebet, Omanyala earned in Rome

Therefore, Chebet took home 20,000 USD (approximately KSh 2.5 million) after her first-place finish.

Omanyala's third-place in the men's 100m earned him 6000 USD (approximately KSh 775,000) while Cheruyiot's second-place saw him walk away with a similar amount.

Omanyala earned more than Cheruyiot despite finishing third because the men's 100m was listed as one of the special Diamond + Discipline events.

Ejore got 3000 USD (approximately KSh 387,000) for her fifth-place finish in the women's 1500m, which has also been listed as one of the special events.

How did Chebet perform in Omanyala at Rabat?

Prior to Rome, the Diamond League series made its sole African appearance in Rabat, Morocco.

Chebet recorded the second-quickest time in the women's 3000m and achieved the quickest mark in more than three decades, securing her victory in the event.

In the men's 100 meters, Omanyala came in second after Akani Simbine, with Olympic champion in men's 800 meters, Emmanuel Wanyonyi, finishing in third place.