Kenyan students collect three gold medals in Rwanda

IN MUSANZE, RWANDA

Kenya collected three gold medals as the athletics program got underway on the fourth day of the Brookside East Africa Secondary School Games here at the Ubworoherane Stadium.

However, it is Uganda that reigned supreme at the end of the first day of action with nine gold, six silver and four bronze for a total of 19 medals.

Kenya was placed second with 18 medals - three gold, six silver and nine bronze as hosts Rwanda finished with two medals - a gold and a silver. More medals will be up for grabs on Thursday as the athletics program concludes at the same venue.

Kenya got its gold medals in the boys’ 100m and long jump as well as the girls’ 5000m.

Samuel Imeta cruised to victory in the boys’ 100m in an impressive time of 10.7 to give Kenya its first gold of the day. His time saw him equal the championship record set by Kenya’s Mark Kangethe during the 2016 edition of the games at the Kipchoge Keino Stadium in Eldoret.

The Bungoma High School student finished ahead of compatriot of Meshack Babu, who timed 10.9 with Uganda’s Emmanuel Aboda finishing in third place after clocking 11.1.

Imeta, who is in Form Four, was excited to have equalled the championship record, on his final year.

“I wanted to have the record for my own but it still feels nice to have my name in the history books. Clinching a 1-2 finish is still impressive and we hope the other events can follow the same script,” Imeta said on Wednesday.

Catherine Reline clinched the country’s second gold as she led from gun-to-tape to win the girls’ 5000m race in 17:46 ahead of fellow Kenyan Margaret Akidor, who timed 17:55.6 with Uganda’s Scarlet Chemus (18:12.5) finishing in the third spot. Reline, who is also the Kenyan champion, admitted that she is targeting more successes in the future.

“I am still in Form three and I believe that I can still get better especially in my finishing kick. I hope this win will be the start of many more victories to come,” the Kapsait Secondary School student said.

Earlier, Uganda piped Kenya in the boys’ 10,000m as Lamek Oduma cruised to victory in 30:07.4 finishing ahead of last year’s silver medallist Kelvin Kibiwot (30:27.4) of Kenya and champion Jackson Kavesa (30:48.5).

Oduma took charge of the race with six laps to go leaving the Kenyans, who had up until that point, comfortably exchanged leads in the race. In Long jump, defending champion Kenya’s Gloria Mulei relinquished her crown as Uganda’s Victoria Awidi on gold ahead of compatriot Scovia Lakot.