Longosiwa sets Prisons record
Thomas Longosiwa celebrates crossing the finishing line winning 5000m finals of Kenya Prisons Athletics Championship at Kasarani. Track stars Isaiah Koech, Viola Kibiwott, Timothy Kitum and Thomas Longosiwa are the Kenyans to watch when the Rome Diamond League meet gets underway at the Olympic Stadium Thursday evening. PHOTO | FILE| CHRIS OMOLLO
What you need to know:
- London Olympics bronze medallist beats strong challenge to claim 5,000m race
The 2012 Olympics 5,000m bronze medallist Thomas Longosiwa on Saturday won Kenya Prisons Services Athletics Championships title over the distance in a new record time of 13:33.0.
Longosiwa, from Central, beat stiff challenge from previous record holder Timothy Kiptoo, 2012 World Half Marathon bronze medallist John Mwangangi and Fredrick Musyoki.
The runners were huddled together for the better part of the race before Longosiwa broke away to win.
Longosiwa erased Kiptoo’s time of 13:38.0 set in 2011. Longosiwa is eyeing the Commonwealth Games title.
In the women’s race, the 2010 Africa 400m hurdles bronze winner Maureen Jelagat continued to refine her act ahead of ‘Club’ Games trials on July 7 when she won the 400m title.
Jelagat, Kenya’s representative at the London Olympics and 2013 Moscow Worlds, clocked 53.1, to miss the ‘Club’ Games qualifying time by 0.1 seconds. She had also won the 400m hurdles title.
'TACTICAL RACE'
In the men’s race, Nairobi’s Kiptoo, who captained Team Kenya to the 2013 World Cross Championships in Poland, finished fifth in 13:48.6.
Rift Valley’s Wilfred Kimitei claimed silver in 13:40.1 as teammate Franklin Ngelel clocked 14:41.1 for bronze. Musyoki (13:56.1) from Central was sixth while Mwangangi (14:00.0) eighth.
“It was a highly tactical race. Everything is about hope and good preparations and if you play your part well, God definitely rewards you,” Longosiwa.
His next target is to win gold at the Commonwealth Games due July 23 to August 3 in Glasgow, Scotland. He said Kenyans can beat Olympic and World champion Mo Farah on his home soil if they embrace team work.
“We always plan as a team but everybody goes separate during the finals,” Longosiwa said.
Among those vying for places in the 5,000m team for the Commonwealth Games are World bronze medallist Isaiah Kiplangat and 2006 Commonwealth Games champion Augustine Choge.
KIMAIYO REIGNS
Nancy Kimaiyo reigned supreme, clinching a double with victories in women’s 3,000m steeplechase in 9:52.2 and 10,000m in 33:29.0.
Former World marathon record holder Catherine Ndereba finished ninth in the 10,000m final in 35:18.0. Nancy Nzisa made away with women’s 5,000m title in 16:21.0.
Longosiwa, 32, who ran his personal best 12:49.04 at Paris Diamond League on July 6, a month before the London Olympics, where he went on to win his first ever major medal.
Jelagat, who had won the 400m hurdles the previous day saw off Eglay Nalianya 54.8 with Friday Gacheru going for bronze in 55.4.
Beatrice Chepkoech timed 4:18.1 to break Prisons’ previous record of Josephine Muraguri in the women’s 1,500m. Stanley Kipkemboi won men’s 1,500m in 3:41.0.
Brain Waweru eased off to victory in the men’s 100m, timing 10.6 to outclass Philip Ng’wono (10.7) as Mark Otieno (10.9) donned bronze.
International Vincent Kosgei was home and dry in the men’s 400m hurdles final, winning in 54.0 while Samuel Korir clinched men’s 110m hurdles final in 14.7.
