Kiplagat spares Kenya the blushes

• After 15 agonisingly long years of waiting, senior women’s title finally comes home

“I thought I was first, but as long as it’s a Kenyan who has won, I have no problem with that,” said Masai.

But Kiplagat, who had earlier confirmed her intention for the title, said she was in Amman for nothing less than gold and had spent the entire night praying that God rewards her so that she can win the money to take care of the family of his brother who died before the Kenyan trials last month.

“I saw Masai struggling in the last metres and I saw the Ethiopians closing in from behind me. So I decided to sprint and aid her and that is why I had no breath on crossing the line. I fainted but when I recovered I realised I had won gold,” she said.