Caleb Mwangangi, Isaiah Kiplangat book Rio Olympics berths
What you need to know:
- Mwangangi had a superb 2014, when he won the Commonwealth, Continental Cup, World Indoor and Diamond League Series titles.
World 5,000m silver medallist Caleb Mwangangi returned from a knee injury to win the 5,000m race at the Kipchoge Keino Stadium in Eldoret on Thursday and qualify for the Olympic Games.
Mwangangi, who is also the Commonwealth 5,000m champion, bolted at the bell, dragging on a pack of five athletes before clocking a breathtaking 13 minutes and 37.2 seconds to triumph at the ongoing National trials.
Mwangangi edged out 2013 World 5,000m silver medallist Isaiah Kiplangat to second place in 13:37.6 as the duo claimed the two automatic places for the Olympic Games. Surprise third-place finisher Silas Rono (13:37.6) will have to wait to see if he would be considered for the Wild Card.
It will be Kiplangat’s second appearance at the Olympics after finishing fifth in 13:43.83 at the 2012 London Olympics while Mwangangi, fondly known as the Buffalo, will be making his maiden appearance.
“I am glad to make a comeback after battling with injuries after winning silver at the World Championships last year,” said Mwangangi, who lost his 3,000m World Indoor title in March in Oregon, finishing fifth.
“The knee injury has since healed and I am looking forward to my first Olympics.”
Mwangangi had a superb 2014, when he won the Commonwealth, Continental Cup, World Indoor and Diamond League Series titles.
Kiplangat, who won bronze at the 2013 Worlds, has been struggling to gain form since finishing a distant eighth at the 2015 Worlds. He finished eighth in 3,000m at World Indoor Championships in March, having had a poor run in the Diamond League.
Mwangangi and Kiplangat have a battle at hand in Rio, where they will try to reclaim the 5,000m title. John Ngugi was the last Kenyan to win the title in the 1988 Seoul Olympics.
The best Kenya has done since then is finishing second thrice through Paul Bitok, who won silver in Barcelona (1992) and Atlanta (1996), and Eliud Kipchoge, who won in Beijing in 2008.
Thomas Longosiwa, who won bronze in London (2012), where Mo Farah from Britain reigned supreme, failed to qualify after finishing fourth at the trials in 13:40.7.
Farah, who is also the Olympic 10,000m champion, is expected to head to Rio to defend his title, with Ethiopia expected to name their squad.
