Kiplagat tops Prisons two-lap duel
Mohammed Amin | NATION
Lydia Wafula (right) leads rivals in the women’s 800m final at the Kenya Prisons Athletics Championships at the Nyayo National Stadium on May 04, 2012. Wafula won to qualify for next month’s Africa Senior Championships.
World 1500m silver medallist Silas Kiplagat on Friday sent a strong warning to his rivals ahead of the Diamond League and Olympics trials with a scintillating display at the Kenya Prisons Athletics Championship at the Nyayo National Stadium.
Kiplagat, who is also the reigning Commonwealth 1500 champion, won the 800m race and also broke Prison’s record in a new time of 1 minute 44.8 seconds.
Two times Africa Junior 800m champion Lydia Wafula of Prison Staff Training College (PSTC) also shattered Prisons record over the two lap race of 2:03.6, setting new time of 2:01.9.
Africa 400m hurdles bronze medallist Maureen Jelagat (Central), who is also the national queen claimed a hat-trick of victories in 100m hurdles, 400m hurdles and 400m respectively.
Ibrahim Muya (North Eastern) also effortless won men’s 100m and 200m races, timing 10.5 seconds and 21.4 respectively.
Ndereba fourth
Two times Olympic Marathon silver medallist Catherine Ndereba (Nairobi) and long distance runner Caroline Kwambai (Nyanza) found the 10,000m final too tough to finish fourth and third as bare-foot guest athlete Priscilla Lorchima claimed victory in 33 minutes and 52 seconds.
Lorchima hopes her victory will help her secure employment at Prisons.
The rise of rugby winger-turned-sprinter Collins Omae (PSTC) continued with a stylish victory in 400m final in 46.8 while 2012 KCB/AK Cross Country jackpot winner, Timothy Kiptoo (Rift Valley) won the 5000m contest in 13:40.0.
Wafula, who also qualified for Africa Senior Athletics Championships due for June 26 to July 1 in Benin, outclassed All Africa Game 800m bronze medallist Sylvia Chesebe (Eastern) to second place in 2:04.9 followed by Sylvia Cherop (PSTC) 2:11.5.
Jelagat won 100m hurdles final in 15.5 seconds, beating Purity Nyongesa (Guest) 15.8 and Ndunge Mudigo (Nyanza) 17.6. She collected a double in 400m hurdles in 59.5 after seeing off Joan Awuor (Western) 63.0 and Mudigo 68.9.
