More medals in sight as Malel, Mutunga launch title defence

Kenya’s young track stars on Thursday leapt forward in the chase for middle distance jewels as they made it to the finals of various races.

World Cross Country Championships junior bronze medallist Patrick Mutunga and William Malel sounded their intentions to emulate their predecessors’ 3,000 metres 1-2 sweep at the last championships when they line up in tomorrow’s final.

Isaiah “Chairman” Kiplangat and David Kiprotich Bett won gold and silver at the 2009 World Youth Championships in Bressanone, Italy.
Mutunga and Malel have a double mission to atone for their female compatriots’ failure to strike gold in this race on Wednesday night.

Mutunga, carrying into the competition a Personal Best of 7 minutes 51.03 seconds he posted last month, blazed the trail with a scintillating pace that saw him cross the 600-metre mark in an amazing 63.63 seconds to win his heat yesterday as Ethiopia’s Solomon Deksisa and Mohammed Abid of Morocco followed closely.

Breathed down his neck

In heat two, Malel also chose to front-run, albeit in a more relaxed pace, slowly shifting gears as Ethiopia’s Hagos Gebrhiwet breathed down his neck. He led the charges through the laps to register a narrow win in a leading time of 7:54.09.

The pair of Jonathan Kiplimo and Kiprotich produced fireworks in the boys’ 1,500m round one, winning their respective heats. The two are medal prospects in the four-lap race final that will be run at 5:45pm on Sunday.

Kiplimo, a Standard Eight pupil at Kapkuto Primary School in Nandi Central District, launched another title defence bid (Gideon Kiage Mageka and Caleb Mwangangi claimed the medals in Italy) by comfortably winning his heat in 3:48.35.

World factory of Kabirirsang

All Africa Games Youth 400m silver medallist Agatha Jeruto was too good for her opponents, winning the 800m round one in 2:07.80 ahead of Morocco’s Manal El Bahraoui (2:08.63) and Sahily Diago (2:10.68) of Cuba.

In heat five, Linda Jepchirchir Cheruiyot was fifth but she sailed into the final as the fastest loser.

Jeruto, who hails from 800m world factory of Kabirirsang, near Kapsabet, was greatly inspired into the win as her rural home neighbour Wilson Kipketer of Denmark (former World 800m record holder) watched here.

Kipketer is the ambassador of the Denmark team here.

The Kenyan-turned-Dane said: “I am happy the young generations are taking up the race seriously. We laid the foundation and it is good they are picking up from where we left at home.”