Lesiyia Pariken strikes another gold for Kenya in Algiers

Kenya's Nickson Lesiyia Pariken won the boys’ 1,500m gold at the ongoing Africa Youth Games on Wednesday in Algiers.

Pariken ended the wait on day two of the track and field events with gold just after his comrades - Angela Ndungwa claimed silver in girls’ 800m with Vanice Kerubo going for bronze in girls’ 100m hurdles.

It came a day after Mercy Chepkorir had opened the championships with bronze in girls’ 3,000m on Tuesday.

Pariken clocked 3 minutes and 49.64 seconds to triumph, beating Moroccan Anass Essayi to second place in 3:49.68 as Ethiopia's Melese Nberet Kefale finished third in 3.49.70.

Kenya’s tally rose to seven medals: three gold, a silver and three bronze after Maria Brunlehner had earlier on handed Kenya two gold medals and silver in girls’ swimming.

Kerubo gave Kenya its second medal in athletics when she clocked 16.61 seconds to the win girls’ 100m hurdles while Ndungwa timed 2:06.21 to get silver in 800m.

Kerubo lost the battle to South African Kayla Van Der Berch, who easily romped home in 13.48 seconds to claim gold as Algeria's Rahil Hamel went for silver in 14.27.

Ndungwa proved no match for Ethiopian Hirut Meshesha, who comfortably reigned supreme in the two-lap race in 2:04.66.

It was the third medal for Kenya as athletics entered its second day in the Algerian capital with Mercy Chepkorir having opened the championships with another bronze in girls’ 3,000m on Tuesday.

Chepkorir, who missed out on World Under-20 Championships in Tampere, Finland owing to faulty traveling documents, clocked 9:30.60, behind Ethiopian Aberesh Minsewo, who went for gold in 9:29.02. Uganda’s Sarah Chelangat went for silver in 9:30.60.

In swimming, Megan Kiira finished fifth in girls’ 200m freestyle final, clocking 2:15.53 minutes in a contest won by Egyptian Sandy Said in 2:09.27. Ines Barbouch from Tunisia snatched silver in 2:10.67 with Angolan Catrina Sousa tapping the wall in 2:12.41 for bronze.

Danilo Rosafio missed the podium finish, coming in fourth in boys’ 50m freestyle in 23.97 as Egyptian Mahmoud Abdelrahman Sameh timed 23.02 for gold.

Ghanaian Jackson Abeku claimed silver in 23.40 while Ahmed Hussein from Egypt locked out Rosafio from a podium finish in 23.60.

However, Ridhwan Mohammed made it to boys’ 100m freestyle final after being ranked seventh in 53.83 from the semi-finals where Mohammed Aziz Ghaffari posted the fastest time of 51.84.

Brunlehner had earlier own won Kenya two gold medals and silver in girls’ swimming.

She splashed to her second gold medal in a championship record time in 50m freestyle on Monday in 26.14 seconds, a day after winning 100m freestyle in 58.87seconds. She also won silver in 50m breaststroke.

In beach volleyball, Kenya’s pair of Brian Kimeli and Kelvin Wafula finished 12th overall out of 21 teams while Juliet Makokha and Gloria Nekesa settled 13th out of 18 teams in the girls’ contest.

“Apparently, it was accumulated points from a previous tournament that Kenya didn’t participate,” said Team Kenya executive officer Francis Mutuku.