Former IAAF Athlete of the Year and World record-holder Genzebe Dibaba of Ethiopia is back in action on Thursday at the Spanish capital for the IAAF World Indoor Tour meeting on February 8.
Genzebe, who last year won the 1000m in Madrid with a national indoor record of 2:33.06, will contest the 1500m at this year’s meeting, the distance at which she holds the world record indoors and out.
The 2015 world champion will line up against 2014 world indoor silver medalist Axumawit Embaye of Ethiopia, European champion Angelika Cichocka of Poland, African silver medalist Malika Akkaoui of Morocco and Spanish duo Solange Andrea Pereira and Marta Perez.
Meanwhile, Adam Kszczot will be aiming to repeat his 800m victory from 2017. The Pole has won five continental titles at the distance – two outdoors and three indoors – and has earned silver medals at the past two World Championships. His indoor PB of 1:44.57 ranks him fourth on the world indoor all-time list.
Ethiopia’s 2013 world champion and two-time world indoor champion Mohamed Aman, who is ranked one place ahead of Kszczot on the world indoor 800m all-time list, will also be in Madrid, along with Spanish record-holder Kevin Lopez, European indoor bronze medalist Alvaro de Arriba, Daniel Andujar and Jesus Gonzalez.