Kenya bag silver, bronze after day one action in Cali
What you need to know:
- world youth championships 2,000m s/c finals set for Friday
- Kenya will be going for gold in the 2,000 metres boys’ and girls’ steeplechase as they parade the respective reigning African youth champions Vincent Kipyegon and Sandrafelis Chebet.
Ethiopia drew first blood in their bitter rivalry with Kenya on day one of the 2015 IAAF World Youth Championship on Wednesday at Pascual Guerrero stadium in Cali, securing gold in the women’s 3,000m.
Ethiopia’s Shuru Bulo took the top honours in 9 min 1.12 sec, a world youth lead time, relegating Kenya’s Emily Chebet, who was considered the race favourite, to second place in a personal best time of 9.02.92 while compatriot Sheila Chelangat was third, also in a personal best time of 9.04.54.
Bulo ensured Ethiopia regained the 3,000m title that they won through Gotytom Gebresalse in Lille, France in 2011.
Kenya though will feel undone after having previously dominated the championship race in imperious fashion since 1999.
Kenya have won seven titles in nine editions, Morocco’s Shiham Hilai winning in 2003 (Sherbrook Canada) and Gotytom Gebresalse of Ethiopia taking gold in 2011 in Lille, France. Lillian Kasait Rengeruk bounced Kenya back on track by reclaiming the title in 2013 in Donetsk, Ukraine.
“A silver medal in a world championship is not that easy. I am happy for the win although I feel I could have done more for my country. The only challenge I faced was the heavy air. Humidity was high and the evening was windy, but we cannot lament,” Chebet said.
“I was leading by a fair distance until I realized that I was fast burning out, my chest threatened to block as I tried to push,” as Chelangat said.
Things looked up for Kenya in the shorter races as they got runners for the first time qualifying for the semi-finals and finals of a number of events including the men’s 400 metres hurdles.
STEEPLECHASE DREAM
Kenya’s Edwin Ngeeti clocked 47.47 seconds to qualify to the 400m hurdles semi-finals in a heat won by Keshun Reed (46.98) of Canada, India’s Chandan Bauri (47.15) was second 16-year-old Ngeeti third.
USA’s Josephus Lyles (46.26) and Loice Prevot (46.67) were first and seconds in a heat that saw Kenya’s Josephat Ng’eno close in third place timing 47.72 to book the semis berth which will be run today at 2.30am Kenyan time.
Kenya will be going for gold in the 2,000 metres boys’ and girls’ steeplechase as they parade the respective reigning African youth champions Vincent Kipyegon and Sandrafelis Chebet.
Chebet, a student of Saramek Secondary School in Kericho County, is expected to light up the blue tartan again after her scintillating run in the heats on Wednesday where she easily won to qualify for Friday’s finals.
