Justus Koech taking a narrow victory at the Kenyan Championships (© Peter Njenga)
The Kenyan national championships came to a thrilling finish at the Nyayo Stadium on Saturday (16) with yet another unveiling of future champions.
Asbel Kiprop, Willy Komen, Florence Kiplagat and Veronica Nyaruai, all junior champions in their own right, signalled they were positioning themselves to take over the scene by storm as early as the Beijing Olympics next year.
Hope on the horizon for Asbel
Seven victories in a row for the World junior Cross Country champion is by all means an incredible performance. After yesterday, there is no stopping Kiprop.
Since winning the 8km race of the IAAF world juniors in March at home, Kiprop has taken the track scene by storm. He added his seventh straight victory yesterday by winning the 1500m final which brought the best of this lanky youth.
He had won two qualifiers, the Nakuru leg of Athletics Kenya weekend meetings (1500m) and two international events in Italy and Mauritius at the 3000m.
In the final on Saturday, Kiprop was buried deep in the field until the last 150m when he joined four other runners who hit the home stretch side by side, almost rubbing elbows. He then accelerated down the outside to pip Geoffrey Rono near the tape and clock 3:43.0. Rono returned 3:43.3 and Gideon Gathimba 3:43.5.
“I am not ready to compete in the World Championships, probably I will go to Algiers for the All Africa Games,” said Kiprop.
Justus Koech upset favourites Richard Kiplagat and former champion Ismael Kombich in the 800m in yet another closely contested race and in the process clocked 1:45.7 to equal Leonard’s Kibet’s winning time in the semis. Kibet dropped to 6th. Rono in a close second did 1:45.9 and Kombich 1:46.1.
Thomas Longosiwa who was a subject of age cheating scandal last year which saw him kicked out of the Beijing world juniors team bounced back into winning form again by taking the 5000m in 13:49.6 after pipping Mark Kiptoo (13:50.0) and Kiprono Menjo (13:50.1) at the line.
Kemboi rebounds
After losing at the Police championships recently, Olympic 3000m Steeplechase champion Ezekiel Kemboi was in no mood to allow anybody spoil his party.
He traded the lead with world junior champion Willy Komen for most of the race and they were level at the last water jump before he accelerated to the lead and kept on stealing sideways glances until the end to clock 8:26.2.
There was a lot of promise from Komen who clocked 8:26.5, but much slower than the 8:14.00 he posted in Beijing to set a new championships record.
Kiplagat illustrates wide range
Kiplagat, a silver medallist at the Beijing world juniors in the 5000m, added the Kenyan 1500m national title to her season’s leading 10,000m this year.
“I have surprised myself yet again that I can run in any distance,” said Kiplagat who clocked 4:09.0 after she and world junior 3000m champion Veronicah Nyaruai dropped Margaret Wangare from the 200m. Nyaruai who has done four races in the last six days clocked 4:12.4.
Sylvia Kibet outsprinted former 10000m Commonwealth Games champion Selina Kosgei in the 5000m to win in 16:05.67.
By Peter Njenga (Daily Nation) for the IAAF
Select Results:
Men -
800m:
1. Justus Koech, Armed Forces, 1:45.7
2. Richard Kiplagat, Admin, Police, 1:45.9
3. Ismael Kombich, Police, 1:46.1
1500m:
1. Asbel Kiprop, North Rift, 3:43.0
2. Geoffrey Rono, Police, 3:43.3
3. Gideon Gathimba, Armed Forces, 3:43.5
5000m:
1. Thomas Longosiwa, North Rift, 13:49.6
2. Mark Kiptoo, Armed Forces, 13:50.0
3. Kiprono Menjo, Armed Forces, 13:50.1.
10,000m:
1. Joseph Birech, Prisons, 28:09.4
2. Edward Muge, South Rift, 28:10.0
3. Sammy Kitwara, Police, 28:11.6
3000m steeplechase:
1. Ezekiel Kemboi, Police, 8:26.2
2. Willy Komen, Police, 8:26.5
3. Elijah Chelimo, Prisons, 8:29.4.
Women -
800m:
1. Charity Wandia, Armed Forces, 2:04.1
2. Caroline Mitei, Police, 2:05.2
3. Josephine Nyarunda, Armed Forces, 2:05.8
1500m:
1. Florence Kiplagat, Police, 4:09.0
2. Veronica Nyaruai, 4:12.4
3. Margaret Wangare, Police, 4:13.3.
5000m:
1. Sylvia Kibet, Police, 16:05.67
2. Selina Kosgei, Prisons, 16:10.31
3. Esther Maina, North Rift, 16:10.87.
10,000m:
1. Edith Masai, Prisons, 33:25.2
2. Irene Kwambai, Armed Forces, 33:26.3
3. Edna Kiplagat, Police, 33:27.0
3000m steeplechase:
1. Ruth Bosibori, Police, 9:50.1
2. Mercy Njoroge, Central, 9:54.6
3. Consolata Chemutai, 9:56.6