Sure-footed Grace Wanjiru, Alice Aprot light up Kasarani
What you need to know:
- Wanjiru’s time also met the Olympic Games qualifying time, putting her on course for a maiden appearance at the Olympics.
- African Games 10,000m and Africa Cross-country champion Alice Aprot of Prisons was also in imperious form, winning women’s 10,000m race
- Mike Mokamba won his 100m semi-final in 10.25sec and vowed to break his national record.
Africa race walk champion Grace Wanjiru from Kenya Defence Forces clocked 1 hour and 34.09 minutes to retain her national title for a record 15th time at Kasarani on Friday.
Wanjiru’s time also met the Olympic Games qualifying time, putting her on course for a maiden appearance at the Olympics.
African Games 10,000m and Africa Cross-country champion Alice Aprot of Prisons was also in imperious form, winning women’s 10,000m race unchallenged in 31:40.99 to also qualify for the Africa Championships due June 22-26 in Durban.
Wanjiru, who will be chasing her sixth Africa title in Durban, won by beating the Olympic qualifying mark of 1:35.00. She beat Linda Waweru and Esther Murugi in 1:41.52 and 1:46.06 respectively.
“It’s a dream come true for me since started race walk 16 years ago. I was so worried I would miss the competition after suffering a bad cold,” said the 37-year-old soldier, who holds personal best 1:28.00.
Aprot beat 2009 Jordan World Cross Country bronze medallist Jackline Chepngeno in 31:58.37 but the South Rift athlete also qualified for the Africa Championships.
Haron Koech (49.99, Police) beat Africa bronze medallist Boniface Mucheru (50.11, KDF) in 400m hurdles semis but both qualified for Saturday’s final. Also winning his semi-final was William Mbevi in 50.58.
Former 400m champions Maureen Jelagat (Prisons) and Florence Wasike (Prisons) will face-off in women’s 400m hurdles. Jelagat won her semi-final in 1:00.56 while Wasike 1:01.45.
Mike Mokamba won his 100m semi-final in 10.25sec and vowed to break his national record.
