Wacera avenges Ndiwa loss to win Police race

World Half Marathon silver medallist Mary Wacera took her revenge on Stacy Ndiwa when she won the Kenya Police Service Athletics Championships 5,000m race Friday at Kasarani.

The 24-year-old Wacera dominated the race before last year’s winner Ndiwa claimed the lead after the bell, with 300m left.

However, Ndiwa’s timing proved suicidal as Wacera unleashed a powerful kick in the last 150m to win in 16 minutes and 22.0 seconds.

Ndiwa, the 2010 Youth Commonwealth Games 1,500m champion, won silver in 16:22.3 as Anne Wanjiru took bronze in 16:31.0.

“I am glad my revenge was swift,” said Wacera, who is preparing to defend her national 5,000m title on June 5 to 7 at Nyayo. Wacera  won the Washington 12km race on May 4 before finishing third at New York's 10km race last weekend.

“I am preparing to defend my national 5,000m title, hoping make it to the Commonwealth Games,” said Wacera. The “Club” Games are due July 23 to August 3, in Scotland.

MORE ROAD RACES

Wacera says she will focus on more road races depending on whether she will make the Glasgow team.

“But I will first consult with my manager Owen Anderson,” said Wacera, who helped Kenya win the team title at the World Half Marathon in March in Copenhagen.

Ndiwa said she could have taken gold if she had delayed her kick a bit.

“I should have beaten her again if I waited perhaps in the last 150m or at the homestretch bend,” Ndiwa said.

The 2008 Poland World Junior 10,000m champion Josphat Bett won men’s 10,000m in 28:36.2. Bett, who represented Kenya last at the 2008 Polish event, beat Peter Kirui and John Kemboi to silver and bronze in 28:36.5 and 28:40.0 respectively.

“It’s long since I represented Kenya hence I hope to perform well at the Nationals and make the Commonwealth Games team,” said Bett, who ran his personal best of 26:48.0 in 10,000m in 2011 Eugene  Classic but failed to make the team for the 2011 Daegu Worlds.

LONDON OLYMPICS

He finished fourth in 10,000m during the pre-trials for the 2012 London Olympics but would miss out finishing eighth during the final trials in Eugene.

“I want to put that behind at the nationals and make it to Glasgow,” said Bett,23, who trains in Kiptiret, Kerocho, Keringet and Timboroa.

Consequently, World Indoor 3,000m champion Caleb Mwangangi, 2006 Commonealth Games 3,000m champion Augustine Choge, Abednego Chesebe and Robert Kaptingei won their respective 1,500m heats to stage an explosive final Saturday.

Chesebe posted the fastest qualifying time of 3:33.6, beating steeplechase Paul Kipsiele Koech to second place in 3:47.0 as Dominic Kipketer settled for third in 3:47.2 to all make the final.

Kaptingei’s time of 3:45.0 was second-fastest as he upstaged Ishmael Kombich in 3:45.6 to all sail through.

Choge won his heat in 3:46.0 while Mwangagi clocked 3:48.5 to triumph.