Maureen Jelagat sets 400m record
Alice Aprot takes part in the 10,000m women final during the 2016 Kenya Prisons Athletics Championships at Nyayo National Stadium on May 7, 2016. PHOTO | MARTIN MUKANGU |
What you need to know:
- Runners shift focus to Olympic Games trials slated for Eldoret on June 29
- Maureen Jelagat erased a seven-year-old record of 52.6 held by Elizabeth Muthoka.
- Maureen Jelagat also won the women’s 200m race with a time of 24.48, beating Marcella Nyaboke and Damaris Mbula, who clocked 25.68 and 25.9, respectively.
- Africa Cross Country and Africa Games 10,000m champion Alice Aprot lit up the stadium with an emphatic victory in the women’s 10,000m race.
International sprinter Maureen Jelagat on Saturday broke the Kenya Prisons Service Athletics Championships women’s 400m record after clocking 52.4 seconds at Nyayo National Stadium.
She erased a seven-year-old record of 52.6 held by Elizabeth Muthoka. Jelagat, who represented Kenya at the past two World Championships set a personal best of 51.40 over the distance when she lost in the semi-finals at the Beijing World Championships last year, edged out World Relay medley silver medallist Sylvia Chesebe in 53.2 and Nevian Michira 55.3.
The sprinter also won the women’s 200m race with a time of 24.48, beating Marcella Nyaboke and Damaris Mbula, who clocked 25.68 and 25.9, respectively.
“The victory gives me momentum ahead of the Olympics trials,” said Jelagat, who is the only Kenyan woman to have qualified for the Rio Games over the distance.
APROT WINS
Africa Cross Country and Africa Games 10,000m champion Alice Aprot lit up the stadium with an emphatic victory in the women’s 10,000m race.
Aprot ploughed to an unchallenged 31 minutes and 41.8 seconds to win the race, beating Pauline Wangui in 33:45.1 as Pamela Cherotich came third with 33:56.0.
“It was a good race and my body feels great,” said Aprot, who is looking forward to the Olympics trials from June 29 to July 1 in Eldoret.
The 2012 London Olympics 5,000m bronze medallist Thomas Longosiwa won the 5,000m after clocking 13:30.3, edging out seasoned long distance runner Cornelius Kangogo in 13:46.9 as Peter Emase came third in 13:48.8. Boaz Kipkurugut won the men’s 800m race.
