Superb Simon Kibai keeps focus on Deaflympics

Simon Kibai clinched the 10,000m men’s title at the Safaricom National Deaf Athletics Championships at Kipchoge Keino Stadium in Eldoret on the final day of competition on Wednesday.

Kibai, the world record holder over the distance and triple Deaflympics champion, cut the tape first where his wife Dunge Mudigo and their two-year-old kid Mercy Kibai were waiting.

Little wonder Kibai, who also won the 5,000m race, said he was happy to have defended his title and had big dreams of bringing home the three medals he won in Deaflympic Games in Bulgaria in 2013.

The 2017 Deaflympic Games will be held in Turkey in July.

“I’m happy no one challenged me today but my main focus is to train hard so that I can retain my titles from Bulgaria where I got three gold medals. My family came here to cheer me and it gave me the morale to do well,” said Kibai.

Kibai clocked 30:24.3 ahead of Peter Toroitich, who ran 30:46.2, while Danile Kiptum came in third after clocking 31:16.1.

David Kiptum came in fourth in 31:57.9 while Martin Gachie (32:19.2) and David Njeru (33:04.4) all hit A standard qualifying mark of 33:15.00 for the Games.

Juster Kwamesa, a Form One student at Gianchere School for the Deaf, won the women’s 10,000m race after clocking 42:34.3 ahead of Roselida Okumu from Kakamega (43:52.9), who finished second and Jentrix Dindi also from Kakamega, who came in third in 45:05.2.

Kwamesa and Okumu qualified after achieving the B standard time of 44:35.00.

Lucas Wanjiru from Kiambu won the men’s 3,000m steeplechase in 9:28.8, Jacob Kibet from Eldama Ravine was second in 9:42.4 and Kokobi Omari from Uasin Gishu claimed third place in 9:46.6.

In women’s 400m hurdles, Linet Nanjala was the only athlete who qualified with her winning time of 71:03 that was inside the B standard qualifying time of 71:50.

Saul Mwanthi won in the men’s race in 58:2 followed by Dennis Kiprop (58.9) to qualify in the 59:40 B standard time.