Ezekiel Kirui fires warning shots after 10,000m win

Ezekiel Kirui from Kwale County clocked 32 minutes 04.11 seconds to win the 10,000 meters at the Coast Regional Athletics Championship at Mbaraki Sports Club on Saturday.

The 23–year-old Form Four student at Tumaini Secondary in Matuga Constituency said he was expecting to run faster but failed to do so because of the heavy rain that fell.

“I’ve been running under 30 minutes in recent days, but bad weather cost me a fast time,” he said.

However, he expressed optimistic of finish among top three at the National Athletics Championship to be held at Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani in Nairobi from June 8 to 10.

Daniel Musyoka, 26, of Taita Taveta finished second in 33:28.78 as his colleague Steven Maluki came in third in 33:88.40.

Taita Taveta dominated the 10,000m women’s race where three primary pupils excelled.

Aflin Akoth won in 44:47.99, followed by Ruth Wawuda, 12, (44:06.19), both in Standard Six while a Standard Eight pupil Olivia Dali, 14, (44:13.36) was third.

Taita Taveta team called back Lameck Mwakio from Hussein Camp in Kapsabet and he repaid their faith in him by winning the boy’s 5,000m in a time of 15:16.20.

He was followed home by Mombasa’s Kadenge Yeri who clocked 15:49.0. Third place went to Hamisi Karisa of Kilifi who completed the race in 15:56.0.

Mombasa County team made it 1-2-3 in the 10km men’s walk race where Erick Shikuku clocked 41:01.02, Yusuf Mozera (44:45.52) and Alex Alfonse (51:20.08), in that order.

SELECTED RESULTS
5km race walk (women): 1. Magdaline Wanjala, Taita Taveta (29:30.05); 2. Catherine Mwaika, Taita Taveta (30:03.10); 3. Zawadi Ali, kwale (30:07.77).

100m women: 1. Kacha katana, Kilifi (15.47); 2. Rachel Bakari, Taita Taveta (15.80); 3. Maureen Mwaro, Kilifi (16.12). 

100m men: 1. Yassir Aslam, Mombasa (11.09); 2. Steve Wima, Mombasa (11.12); 3. Joseph Mlalia, Mombasa (11.15)