Kenyans rule the world in bumper year for athletics

Kenya once again affirmed its top place in the world of athletics with a splendid display at Doha World Championships, World Cross Country Championships in Aarhus, Denmark, and African Games in Rabat, Morocco.

Kenyan athletes’ individual brilliance once again left their opponents floundering in their wake. Eliud Kipchoge’s historic spectacle at the INEOS 1:59 Challenge in Vienna, and Brigid Kosgei and Geoffrey Kamworor world record-breaking exploits illuminated the season.

Track star Hellen Obiri’s gallant feats right from the World Cross Country to World Championships in Doha were eye-catching as debutante Ruth Chepng’etich, Beatrice Chepkoech, Timothy Cheruiyot and Conseslus Kipruto also stamped their authority in the sweltering desert heat of Doha.

Kenya collected eight medals — two gold, three silver and three bronze, finishing second behind Ethiopia at the World Cross Country Championships held on March 30 in Denmark.

Obiri, who was taking part at the World Cross Country for the first time and Beatrice Chebet, who shone brightest for Kenya when they galloped to victories in senior women 10km and junior women 6km races respectively.

Kamworor, who was gunning for his third World Cross Country title found the going tough in the hilly course and could only manage a bronze in men’s 10km race where Uganda’s Joshua Cheptegei led compatriot Jacob Kiplimo to a 1-2 finish.

It was a sweet victory for Cheptegei, who put behind the 2017 mishap in Kampala to beat Kamworor. Back in 2017, Cheptegei unleashed blistering pace to lead into the last lap but spectacularly wilted in the closing stages as Kamworor flashed past him to win.

Chebet beat Ethiopians Alemitu Tariku and Tsigie Gebreselama in a sprint photo finish but the Kenyan had to anxiously wait for several minutes to know her fate after the organisers had erroneous declared Tariku the winner.

After review Chebet, who also powered to the last hill climb in second place before surging to the front, was handed victory.

The three athletes were given a photo-finish time of 20:50 minutes as Tariku got silver with Gebreselama settling for bronze.

It was joy for Chebet, the World Under-20 5,000m champion after handing Kenya their first junior women gold since Faith Chepng’etich’s exploits in 2013.

For the first time since 1984 Kenya failed to get a medal in junior men when World Under-20 3,000m steeplechase silver medallist Leonard Bett finished fourth as Ethiopians Milkesa Mengesha and Tadese Worku dominated.

Kenya relinquished their mixed relay title to Ethiopia with the team of Conseslus Kipruto, Jarinter Mawia, Elijah Manangoi and Winfred Mbithe settling for bronze.

SECOND IN DOHA

Kenya collected 11 medals — five gold, two silver and four bronze medals at the World Championships held from September 27 to October 6 in Doha, Qatar.

The country once again finished second in the overall medal standings behind United States of America who had 29 medals; 14 gold, 11 silver and four bronze.

In some of the highlights, Ruth Chepng’etich and Beatrice Chepkoech reclaimed the women’s marathon and 3,000m steeplechase titles respectively for Kenya as Obiri retained the women’s 5,000m crown.

Agnes Chebet once again settled for bronzes in women’s 10,000m race where Obiri came in fifth with Sifan Hassan going for gold. Faith Chepng’etich relinquished her world 1,500m crown to Hassan as she settled for silver.

Timothy Cheruiyot and Conseslus Kipruto ensured that the men’s 1,500m and 3,000m steeplechase titles respectively stayed in Kenya. Kipruto’s title defence was a thriller after he came from behind to beat Lamecha Girma from Ethiopia by 0.1 seconds. Kipruto timed 8:01.35.

Ferguson Rotich finally claimed his first major championship individual medal when he finished third in 800m at the World Championships as debutantes Amos Kipruto and Rhonex Kipruto won bronze in men’s marathon and 10,000m races.

Lelisa Desisa won the marathon while Joshua Cheptegei won the 10,000m.

RECORDS SHATTERED

From claiming bronze at World Cross, Kamwowor would break the World Half Marathon record with a new time of 58:01 at the Copenhagen Half Marathon on September 15, erasing the previous time of 58:23 set by Eritrean Zersenay Tadese on March 21, 2010.

Kamworor would later recaptured the New York City Marathon m en’s crown for his second title in 2:08:13 on November 3.

He won previously in 2017. Kamworor also won Kenya Police 10,000m title on July 11 and the National 10,000m title on August 22 in an event that doubled up as the World Championships qualifiers in Doha. Kamworor opted out.

Cheruiyot had retained his Diamond League Series Trophy with victory in the final in 3:30.22, having won four of his five events this season in Stockholm, Prefontaine, Laussane and Monaco. He own in Lausanne in a word lead and meet record time of 3:28.77.

Beatrice Chepkoech retained her Diamond League Series title in 9:01.71 in Zurich in August 29, having also won the Diamond League events in Shanghai, Prefontaine and Birmingham.

Chepkoech, was among the nominees for the 2019 World Athletics Female Athlete of the Year Award.

Brigid Kosgei set the new mixed women's world marathon record clocking 2 hours, 14 minutes and 04 seconds to retain her Chicago Marathon title on October 13, having won the London Marathon in 2:18:20 early on April 28.

Kosgei’s feat saw her erase Britain's Paula Radcliffe time of 2:15:25 set on April 13, 2003 in London.

It was also a course record as she reduced Radcliffe's time of 2:17:18 set in October 13, 2002.

Kosgei’s victory in London this year and last year in Chicago, saw her win her maiden World Marathon Majors title and Sh50 million jackpot alongside Kipchoge.

Kipchoge ensured Kenya’s dominance in distance road running winning his fourth London Marathon title in a course record time of 2:02:37, breaking his own previous record — set in 2016 — by 28 seconds.

Kosgei and Kipchoge were among the nominees for the 2019 IAAF Female and Male Athlete of the Year Award.

Kipchoge on November 23 won the World Athletics Male Athlete of the Year award for the second year in a row. Kosgei wasn’t lucky.

World Half Marathon record holder Joycilline Jepkosgei won the New York City Marathon on her debut over the distance in 2:22:38 on November 3, stunning defending champion Mary Keitany, who was eying her fifth victory.

Jepkosgei missed the course record set by Margaret Okayo in 2003 by seven seconds.

In other highlight, Lawrence Cherono claimed his maiden World Marathon Major victories this year winning Boston in 2:07:57 on April 15 before wrapping up a double in Chicago in 2:05:45 on October 13.

The feats put him in contention for the World Major Marathon jackpot next year.

Kenyan athletes claimed top podium positions in London, Chicago and New York City but failed to win in Boston, Tokyo and Berlin.

AFRICAN GAMES

At the African Games held from August 19 to 30 in Rabat, Morocco Kenya won 20 medals — 10 gold, seven silver and three bronze medals to finish second in athletics behind Nigeria, who had 10 gold, seven silver and six bronze medals at the African Games held August 26-30.

Athletics was the largest contributor of medals for Kenya’s seventh overall position at the Games.

Titus Ekiru won Kenya’s maiden Half Marathon title at the Games in a record time of 1:01:42.

Meanwhile, Vanice Nyagisera, became the first Kenyan woman to win a continental title in 400m hurdles storming to victory in 56.95 seconds.

Kenya topped the medal standings in the Under-20 event with 26 medals — 12 gold, nine silver and five bronze but finished second behind South Africa in the Under-18 competition with 18 medals; five gold, seven silver and six bronze.

Among the rare wins in Under-20 was Faith Jepkemboi in women’s long Jump (5.83), Mary Moraa in women’s 400m (53.57) and Dominic Samson Ndigiti in men’s 10,000m walk race (43:27.21).