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Chepkirui leads charge for glory in Wednesday night’s 10,000m
Gold medallist Kenya's Joyce Chepkirui (C) on the podium with silver medallist Florence Kiplagat (L) and bronze medallist Emily Chebet (R) during the award ceremony for the women's 10,000m athletics event at Hampden Park during the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland on July 29, 2014. AFP | ADRIAN DENNIS
What you need to know:
- n Glasgow, Chepkirui clocked personal best 32:09.35 as Kiplagat, the 2009 World Cross Country champion and two times Berlin Marathon champion, scampered across the finishing line in 32:09.48.
- Chebet said nothing will stop them staging another sweep at Africa event if they embrace teamwork just like in Glasgow.
- World bronze medallist Belaynesh Oljira and Ababel Yeshaneh will lead Ethiopia’s charge.
Joyce Chepkirui, Florence Kiplagat and Emily Chebet dared their Ethiopian rivals after they swept all the podium places at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games.
Tonight, they will be going for the 10,000m title in the African championships in Marrakech. Will the Ethiopians stop them?
Their arch-rivals sent a stern warning on Monday night when they not only snatched women’s 5,000m gold from Kenya but staged a 1-2 when Almas Ayana and Gezebe Dibaba reigned supreme.
In Glasgow, Chepkirui clocked personal best 32:09.35 as Kiplagat, the 2009 World Cross Country champion and two times Berlin Marathon champion, scampered across the finishing line in 32:09.48.
Chebet, who is the 2010 and 2013 World Cross Country champion, settled for bronze also in personal best 32:10.82.
“We had planned as a team to take charge in Glasgow,” said Chepkirui, who finally won a major medal after failing to finish her race at the 2012 London Olympic Games. “We plan similar assault at the Africa Championships.”
Kiplagat, who also won the 2010 World Half Marathon and is currently the World Half Marathon record holder warned their rivals especially the Ethiopians that they will be going for similar feat.
“That is what we had planned and let the Ethiopians know that we shall devour them in Morocco and affirm who is supreme.”
Chebet said nothing will stop them staging another sweep at Africa event if they embrace teamwork just like in Glasgow.
CHERONO MISSING IN ACTION
It’s Gladys Cherono who clocked 32:41.40 to win in 2012 in Port Novo, Benin, as she led Priscah Jepleting (32:45.73) and Betsy Saina (32:48.36) to podium sweep.
World bronze medallist Belaynesh Oljira and Ababel Yeshaneh will lead Ethiopia’s charge.
World champions Eunice Sum (800m) and Asbel Kiprop (1,500m) will be in action in their respective events’ first round. Sum, who is fresh from winning the Commonwealth Games title, hopes to bag a hat trick of major titles within one year after dinning gold from the 2013 Moscow Worlds when she leads the 2006 Africa champion Janeth Jepkosgei and Agatha Jeruto in women’s qualification.
Kiprop, winner at the 2013 Moscow Worlds will be teaming up with the new Commonwealth Games champion James Magut and Ronald Kwemoi, who settled for silver in Glasgow.
