Twin assault for Kenya in boys’ 1500m
Dominic Kipkemboi (right) celebrates winning the boys' 1,500m race during the national trials for the World Under-18 Championships at Nyayo Stadium on June 14, 2017. PHOTO | CHRIS OMOLLO |
What you need to know:
- Teams begin arriving in Nairobi for global track and field championship.
- Youngsters Kemboi, Manangoi out to extend Kenya’s dominance in the metric mile race.
Dominic Kipkemboi and George Manangoi are determined to uphold the tradition set by their predecessors in boys’ 1,500m race when Nairobi hosts World Under-18 Championships from July 12-16 at Kasarani.
The two are not only eyeing a 1-2 sweep but they are also out to improve the Championship Record of 3 minutes and 36.38 seconds set by their compatriot Kumari Taki in 2015 edition of the championship in Cali, Colombia.
Kenya has only lost the 1,5000m twice since the inaugural 1999 Championships in Poland where Cornelius Chirchir and Michael Too staged a 1-2 sweep in the metric mile race. Chirchir went on to win the title at the 2000 World Under-20 Championships in Chile.
Two times World Athletics final (now renamed World Cup) bronze medallist, Isaac Songok, won 2001 World Under-10 1,500m in Hungary in a Course Record of 3:36.78 while Benson Marrianyi and Samson Kiplangat went for a 1-2 finish at the 2003 Championships in Canada.
Kenya missed the title at the 2005 Championships in Moro when Belal Mansoor Ali from Bahrain reigned but Fredrick Ndunge Musyoki reclaimed the crown for Kenya, guiding Josphat Kithii Mitunga to a 1-2 victory at the 2007 competition in Czech.
Kenya registered its fourth 1-2 finish at 2009 Championships in Italy with Gideon Kiage Mageka and Caleb Mwangangi, the current World 5,000m silver medallist, claiming the honour.
Kenya lost the title for the second and last time at the 2011 event in France where Ethiopian Teshome Dirirsa beat Vincent Kiprotich and Jonathan Sawe to gold.
Kenya was back in business when Robert Kiptoo Biwott won during the 2013 competition held in Donetsk before Taki crushed Songok’s CR in 2015 in Colombia. Taki went on to win the World Under-20 1,500m title last year in Poland.
“We want to end the world youth event with a fifth 1-2 finish,” said Kipkemboi, who beat George Manangoi, brother of World 1,500m silver medallist Elijah Manangoi. “It’s quite possible but we need to make it to the final both of us so as to strategise.”
Kipkemboi, who embraced athletics last year after being inspired by three times World 1,500m champion Asbel Kiprop, is also targeting gold at Kasarani. “I want to also break Taki’s record before also winning the title he won at World junior event last year next year,” said Kipkemboi, a form four student at Almaroroi Secondary School in Nandi.
