Mike Mokamba turns on afterburners in Kasarani

Mike Mokamba (right) celebrates winning the 100m final during the Kenya Defence force Athletics Championship on April 29, 2016 at Safaricom Stadium, Kasarani. PHOTO | CHRIS OMOLLO |

What you need to know:

  • Superb Kiplagat sets world lead time in 800m
  • Mokamba wrapped up a double when he glided to victories in 100m and 200m, stopping the clock at the red tartan track arena in 10.72 seconds and 20.69 seconds respectively.
  • Kishioyan eased home to victory in the 400m race in 45.23 seconds.

National champions Mike Mokamba and Alphas Kishoyian won their respective races in dominant fashion at the Kenya Defence Forces Athletics Championships on Friday at Kasarani.

Mokamba wrapped up a double when he glided to victories in 100m and 200m, stopping the clock at the red tartan track arena in 10.72 seconds and 20.69 seconds respectively.

Kishioyan eased home to victory in the 400m race in 45.23 seconds.

Nicholas Kiplagat, the 2009 World Youth 800m champion, clocked a world lead time of 1:43.37 to win men’s 800m.

Commonwealth Games 1,500m champion James Magut claimed an unprecedented fifth consecutive 1,500m title, clocking 3:44.4 as the 2012 London Olympic 3,000m steeplechase bronze medallist Abel Mutai made a comeback to reclaim his 3,000m steeplechase title in 8:27.90.

National 100m hurdles champion Priscilla Tabunda added three more title to her 110m hurdles and 400m hurdles collection with victories in long jump (5.98m), high jump (1.70m) and triple jump (12.18m).

CHEPKIRUI RULES

Africa Cross Country silver medallist Sheila Chepkirui claimed women’s 10,000m victory in 35:49.8 after winning bronze in 5,000m on Wednesday as World Relays medal silver medallist Selah Jepleting went for women’s 800m title in 2:02.3.

Mokamba, who had promised to lower the 200m KDF record of 20.30 seconds held by his father Elkana Nyangau and the national record of 20.14 by Calvin Nkanata, failed in his bid. He beat Kishoyan to second place in 20.91 as Gilbert Osure timed 21.19 for bronze.

TURNS FOCUS

“It was a good race but the record will go next time,” said Mokamba, who now turn his focus on the Africa Championships due on June 22 to 26 in Durban, South Africa and the Rio Olympic Games.

Mokamba had earlier on won 100m, brushing aside Gilbert Osure (10.53) and Charles Wamwea (10.67) respectively. Mokamba, 21, who has qualified in 200m for Rio Olympics, intends to lower his personal best of 10.23 seconds at the Africa Championships.

“It’s in South Africa where I want to improve my national record time in 100m,” said Mokamba.

Kishoyian brushed aside Joseph Poghiso and Solomon Bwoga to second and third places respectively in 46.32 and 46.52 to win the one-lap race.

“My target is to break the 24-year-old 400m national record of 44.18 held by Samson Kitur before Olympics,” said Kishoyian, who has a personal best of 44.75.

Kiplagat went for the world lead time (1:44.37) after shaking off stiff challenge from Jonathan Kitilit on the homestretch. Kitilit timed 1:43.48 for second as 2012 London Olympics bronze medallist Timothy Kitum settled third in 1:44.51. Magut won the metric mile race, edging out Vincent Letting to second in 3:44.6 and Cornelius Kiplagat to third in 3:45.5.

Mutai scaled the hurdles to win in 8:27.90, beating Fenus Kipleting and Hillary Kemboi to second and third places in 8:28.19 and 8:32.49 respectively.