Joyline Cherotich wins gold in Under-20 Championships
Joyline Cherotich in this photo taken on February 18, 2017. PHOTO | CHRIS OMOLLO |
What you need to know:
- By the end of business on Friday, Kenya had collected five medals, one gold, three silver and one bronze.
World Under-18 1,500m bronze medallist Joyline Cherotich and Nicholas Kipkorir gave Kenya victories in their respective races at the ongoing Africa Under-20 Championships in Tlemcen, Algeria.
Cherotich clocked 9 minutes and 27.11 seconds to win, guiding compatriot and World Under-18 2,000m steeplechase silver medallist Sandra Chebet to a 1-2 finish in the event ran on Thursday.
Chebet, who finished fifth in 3,000m at the 2016 World Under- 20 Championships, eased to second 9:27.59, beating Ethiopia’s Meselu Berhe to the silver medal in 9:28.10. Another Kenyan Fancy Cherono finished fifth in 9:38.16.
Nickson Kiplagat felt the heat in men’s 3,000m steeplechase final when he lost the battle to Ethiopians Nigate and Tesfaye Deriba, clocking 8:42.15 against 8:31.36 and 8:33.67 respectively.
Kenya embraced mixed results on Friday when its athletes won a gold in men's 10,000m and silvers in women’s 800m and men 1,500m, losing to perennial rivals Ethiopia.
It's Kipkorir who waylaid a strong challenge from Ethiopian athletes to win men’s 10,000m race in 29:51.15.
Ethiopians Gizachew Hailu and Taddesse Tesfahu settled for silver and bronze in 29:52.20 and 30:13.95 respectively.
Josephine Chelangat timed 2:06.48 to settle second in women’s 800m race behind Tigist Ketema in 2:05.85 as Khadidja Benkacem from Morocco snatched bronze in 2:08.26.
Boaz Kiprugut halted an intended 1-2 sweep from Ethiopia when he won for silver in men’s 1,500m in 3:44.78 with Welde Tufa going for gold in 3:44.39.
Tufa’s compatriot claimed bronze in 3:45.56.
By the end of business on Friday, Kenya had collected five medals, one gold, three silver and one bronze.
On Saturday, Chebet and Cherono will be back in action to battle in women’s 5,000m where they face World Under-20 5,000m champion Kalkidan Fentie, who beat Kenya’s Emmaculate Chebet to the world junior title in Poland last year.
Solomon Lekuta will field in men’s 800m first semi-final while Moffat Ngari, who was Team Kenya's captain for the World Under20 Championships in Poland last year, will compete in 200m heats.
The championships end on Sunday where Kenya’s Nicholas Kipkorir has a battle at hand in men’s 5,000m final.
