Ezekiel Kemboi leads Kenyan quest in Steeplechase
Ezekiel Kemboi celebrates after winning the men's 3,000m steeplechase final at the 2013 IAAF World Championships at the Luzhniki stadium in Moscow on August 15, 2013. Kemboi will lead the Kenyan onslaught in the 3,000m steeplechase at the Commonwealth Games on August 1, 2014. PHOTO | | FILE | AFP
What you need to know:
- Kemboi, who is competing in his last Commonwealth Games, having won in 2006 Melbourne besides claiming silvers in 2002 Manchester and 2010 Delhi has been phenomenal.
- Birech, who has fast made it a habit of winning this season, finally has his moment after he missed the 2012 London Olympics and 2013 World Championships.
- Kenya’s Peter, Kirui, Josephat Bett and Charles Cheruiyot will also be eyeing glory when the 10,000m men final are held later on Friday night.
The question is not who will intrude on Kenya’s party but who among the trio will clinch the coveted Commonwealth Games men’s steeplechase title Friday night.
Just like their female counterparts, the Olympic and World 3,000m steeplechase champion Ezekiel Kemboi, the 2014 Diamond League Series leader Jairus Birech and former World junior champion Jonathan Muia, are likely to stage another podium sweep.
Kemboi, who is competing in his last Commonwealth Games, having won in 2006 Melbourne besides claiming silvers in 2002 Manchester and 2010 Delhi, has been phenomenal.
He has won the Olympics twice, in 2004 and in 2012, besides donning world titles in 2009 Berlin, 2011 Daegu and 2013 Moscow.
The 32-year-old athlete from Kapsowar, Marakwet, now wants to wrap up in style by reclaiming the title he lost to Richard Mateelong in India.
“This will be my last Commonwealth Games and I want to do it in style by reclaiming the title,” said Kemboi, who is the overall Team Kenya captain for the Glasgow Games.
“We have a great team, but I want to sign off well,” said Kemboi, who is the only other athlete besides his coach, Moses Kiptanui, to have won a hat trick of titles from the World Championships.
He has a personal best of 7:55.76 set in July 2011 and he hinted early this year that he could attempt breaking Shaheen’s World Record of 7:53.63 set in 2004.
METEORIC BIRECH
But with the erratic Glasgow weather, its left to be known whether it will be the stage for the feat.
Birech, who has fast made it a habit of winning this season, finally has his moment after he missed the 2012 London Olympics and 2013 World Championships.
Birech has been strong in the Diamond League, winning in Rome, Oslo, Lausanne and Monaco. He won in Oslo with a world lead of 8:02.37.
“I have missed to represent Kenya thrice after failing in the trials, but here I am now and I hope for a good show,” said Birech.
Kenya’s Peter, Kirui, Josephat Bett and Charles Cheruiyot will also be eyeing glory when the 10,000m men final are held later on Friday night.
Meanwhile, Eunice Sum breezed through the women’s 800m final on Friday night to keep her gold medal prospects alive after winning her semi-final with ease.
However, former world champion Janeth Jepkosgei failed to make the final, only managing seventh place in the other semi-final.
This story first appeared on SportOn!
