Cherkos edges Choge in 3,000 at Valencia

VALENCIA, Spain (AP) — Abraham Cherkos of Ethiopia ran the season's fastest time in the 3,000 meters to edge Augustine Choge of Kenya at the Valencia Indoors meet on Saturday.

Cherkos held off Choge over the final lap to shave nearly one second off of Bernard Legat's previous time, finishing in 7 minutes, 34.05 seconds.

Choge also bested Legat's previous best by finishing in 7:34.47, with fellow Kenyan Shedrack Korir finishing third.

Spain's Nuria Fernandez set a season's best time to take the women's 1,500, crossing in 4:01.77 to finish ahead of fellow Spaniard Natalia Rodriguez and Meskerem Assefa of Ethiopia.

Haron Keitany of Kenya, already with the men's fastest 1,500 this season, edged Mekonnen Gebremedhin of Ethiopia.

Poland's Dariusz Kuc took the men's 60 over Rae Edwards of the United States on a photo-finish after both crossed the line in 6.59.

In other men's events, Spain's Santiago Ezquerro won the 400, Abraham Chepkirwok of Uguanda took the 800 and Jackson Quinonez of Spain won the 60-meter hurdles.

Jesse Williams of the United States won the high jump, Poland's Marcin Starzak took the long jump and American Christian Cantwell won the shot put.

Vivian Cheruiyot of Kenya pulled away for a victory in the women's 3,000, finishing over 11 seconds ahead of Sara Moreira of Portugal.

In the women's other track events, Laia Forcadell of Spain won the 400, countrywoman Elian Periz took the 800 and Danielle Carruthers of the United States triumphed in the 60 hurdles. Anna Battke of Germany won the pole vault.