Lucy Wangui Kabuu (2250) leading Peninah Arusei, Linet Masai (2253), Grace Momanyi (2650), and Alice Timbilli (2667) in the Kenyan 10,000m trials (© Ricky Simms)
Commonwealth Games Champion Lucy Wangui Kabuu won the 10,000 metres final on a cool sunny morning during the first day of the Kenyan trials for the Beijing Olympics today at the Nyayo National Stadium in Nairobi.
At the same time, world champion Alfred Kirwa and Boaz Kiplagat were victorious in the 800 metres semi-finals, the only preliminary event of the day.
Action proper will be on Saturday at the same venue when the country's best and budding runners gun for limited places in the Olympics team.
Kabuu, second in the Oslo 5000m recently, and Peninah Arusei, the Berlin Half Marathon champion, broke away with three laps to go but Kabuu emerged the faster in the sprint finish.
Kabuu who until recently was plying her trade in Japan, said training locally helped her a lot as she clocked 32 minutes 18.6 seconds with Arusei in second posting 32:19.3.
In the first heat of the 800m, Kiplagat engaged former World indoor champion Wilfred Bungei in the last metres of a thrilling race which went down to the wire. He clocked 1:45.32 with Bungei being given 1:45.33.
"Today was tough but tomorrow will be even tougher because I have either to finish first or second to be in the Olympics team," said Kiplagat as Bungei maintained a wait and see attitude.
In the second semi, world champion Kirwa and six other runners in this race waited far too long just like everybody else before taking the initiative towards the end to finish in 1:48.27. This was tactical, aware that in the final pace will decide the winner. He was followed by Justus Koech in 1:48.42 with World junior championships silver medallist Jackson Kivuva coming in third in 1:48.49.
Peter Njenga for the IAAF
Leading Results
WOMEN -
10,000m:
1. Lucy Kabuu 32:18.6
2. Penina Arusei 32:19.3
3. Grace Momanyi 32:30.4
4. Philes Ongori 32:32.4
5. Alice Timbilil 32:40.2
MEN -
800m:
Semis -
Semi 1 -
1. Boaz Kiplagat 1:45.32
2. Wilfred Bungei 1:45.33
3. Ismael Kombich 1:15.43
4. Alex Kipchirchir 1:46.29
Semi 2 -
1. Alfred Kirwa 1:48.27
2. Justus Koech 1:48.42
3. Jackson Kivuva 1:48.49
4. Reuben Bett 1:48.57
