YouTube helps officer to win rare javelin gold

Policeman Julius Yego won a surprise gold medal in the javelin at the 10th All Africa Games in Mozambique with a Kenyan record throw on Thursday, having perfected his technique by watching YouTube.

The 24-year-old’s 78.17 metres on the last day of athletics at Zimpeto National Stadium beat more experienced South African Bernard Crous and Nigeria’s Friday Osanyade.

Both the men’s and women’s 1,500 metres saw a Kenyan 1-2 finish.

The country also took the men’s 4x400m relay title in three minutes 3.10 seconds, beating Nigeria second and Botswana, and won the bronze in the women’s event won by Nigeria (3:31.21) as Senegal took the silver.

Caleb Mwangangi Ndiku won the 1,500m in 3:39.12, ahead of Collins Cheboi Kiprotich and Algerian Taoufik Makihoufi, as Irene Jelagat (4:13.67) led Joyce Chepkirui in the women’s race where Ethiopia’s Tezita Bogale Ashame won bronze.

“There is nobody who can coach us in Kenya,” lamented the self-taught thrower who nearly missed selection for the national squad. “I go on to YouTube to see what people are doing.”

Commonwealth Games champion Moses Kipsiro Ndiema (Uganda) defended his African 5,000m title in 13:43.08, beating Ethiopians Yenew Alamrew Getahun and Abayneh Ayele Woldegeo, winning a battle with typhoid and malaria.

Nigerian Oludamola Osayomi (22.86) added the 200m gold to her 100m and 4x100m relays, ahead of Ghanaian Anim Vida and Namibia’s Tjipekapora Herunga.

South Africa’s junior world champion Luvo Manyonga (8.02m) won the long jump while in the women’s triple jump, Algeria’s Baya Rahouli finished tops with a 14.08m leap.