Ethiopia’s Ayal Dagnachew will be making her outdoor debut in the 1500m at the 2023 Paavo Nurmi Games, a World Athletics Continental Tour Gold meeting in Turku, on Tuesday (13). Dagnachew comes into this meeting with a personal best time of 3:59.87, set in 2022 in Ostrava, which is the fastest among the entrants at the 2023 Paavo Nurmi Games.
The organizers will install Great Britain’s Holly Archer as the pacemaker and will aim to take the field through the opening 800m in a comfortably fast time. – Check out the complete start list for the meeting
Dagnachew, who ran 4:11.01 during a brief indoor campaign in February, will be looking to build on her early season good fortunes when she takes on a solid field that also includes Mixed Cross Country Relay European Champions Sarah McDonald of Great Britain (2017) and Gaia Sabbatini of Italy (2022), Kristiina Maki of Finland, and Adelle Tracey of Jamaica.
Besides McDonald and Tracey, Dagnachew is expected to be tested in the race by Sarah Healy of Ireland), Edina Jebitok of Kenya, and Ellie Baker of Great Britain. – Read more: Sifan Hassan runs 29:37.80 to win 10,000m at 2023 FBK Games – Results
2023 Paavo Nurmi Games 1500m Start List:
- Ayal Dagnachew (Ethiopia) PB: 3:59.87
- Sarah McDonald (Great Britain & NI) PB: 4:00.46 SB: 4:06.73
- Kristiina Mäki (Finland) PB: 4:01.23 SB: 4:09.22
- Gaia Sabbatini (Italy) PB: 4:01.93 SB: 4:08.07
- Adelle Tracey (Jamaica) PB: 4:02.36 SB: 4:08.22
- Elise Vanderelst (Belgium) PB: 4:02.63 SB: 4:05.26
- Edina Jebitok (Kenya) PB: 4:02.66 SB: 4:04.10
- Sarah Healy (Ireland) PB: 4:02.86 SB: 4:03.57
- Katharina Trost (Germany) PB: 4:03.53 SB: 4:08.71
- Ellie Baker (Great Britain & NI) PB: 4:04.11 SB: 4:04.11
- Hanna Hermansson (Sweden) PB: 4:05.76 SB: 4:10.77
- Holly Archer (Great Britain & NI) PB: 4:07.20 PACER
- Sarah Billings (Australia) PB: 4:08.32 SB: 4:08.32
- Nathalie Blomqvist (Sweden) PB: 4:10.25
