Sports Monthly - Athletics

Kenya juniors shine in Ostrava

Kenya regained the Boys' 1500m title they lost to Bahrain last year during the 2007 World Youth Athletics Championships in Ostrava, Czech Republic. The first three World Youth titles had gone to Kenyan athletes and Fredrick Musyoki became the latest to win the metric mile. The pack were bunched together for the first half of the race and they passed through 800m in 2:02.73. Musyoki and his team-mate Josphat Mitunga were at the front, along with Ethiopia's Dawit Wolde.

Musyoki and Mitunga were still at the front when the bell sounded for the last lap and the pace soon wound up. Musyoki finally broke clear coming off the final bend to win in 3:44.27, half a second ahead of Mitunga. Wolde held on for bronze ahead of a fast-finishing David Bustos of Spain. Australia's Ryan Gregson made up the top five with 3:48.61. It was the third time that Kenya had won gold and silver in the Boys' 1500m.

Kenya finished second behind the USA in the medal standing in the championships that attracted 150 countries. This was an improvement from the third spot they occupied in the fourth edition held in Marrakech, Morocco in 2005. Kenya collected a total of 11 medals, six gold medals, four silver and one bronze. The US had 14 medals, seven gold, four silver and three bronze. The gold medallists were World Youth leader Geoffrey Kibet who won the boys 800m final as Sammary Cherotich won the girls 1500m final. Former champion Sheila Chepkirui took the bronze with Silas Kosgei Kiptum settling for the silver in the boys 2000m steeplechase.

There was a Kenyan double in the Boys 3000m final as Daniel Lemashon Salel led compatriot Lucas Kimeli Rotich 7:57.18 to 7:59.67. Morocco’s Hicham El Amrani out sprinted his elder compatriot Moussa Karich to claim the bronze medal in a personal best time of 8:00.98. After South African Folavia Sehohle had a short lived lead in the first lap and a half, Rotich led a pack of seven athletes through the first kilometre timed in 2:43.49. Salel took control of the race maintaining a similar tempo in the second kilometre covered in 2:42.40 and with four laps to go the leading group was already down to four: the two Kenyans and the two Moroccans with the quartet waiting until the bell to kick. With one lap to go Salel was leading with El Amrani and Karich on his heels and Rotich closing the pack. Rotich was the first to make a move with 250 metres to go with Salel being the only one able to respond. Not only did the eventual winner respond but he counter attacked and sped away an easy winner in a new personal best time.

Caroline Chepkurui Tuigong became the first ever World Youth champion at the Girls 2000m Steeplechase as the event was held for the first time in the 8-year history of the Championships. Winner of last year’s 3000m Steeplechase at the World Junior Championships in Beijing and the World Youth leader, Tuigong came as the outright favourite for gold and despite an unfruitful challenge by her compatriot and eventual silver medallist Christine Kambua Mayanga, it was a fairly easy race for the 17-year-old Kenyan champion.

Tuigong set a new personal best 6:22.30 which will also stand as the Championship record when the event moves to Bysgozscz in 2009 with Mayanga 19 hundredths of a second adrift in a new personal best 6:22.49. Norwegian Junior champion Karoline Bjerkeli Grovdal whose 2006 personal best of 6:22.64 made her a strong contender for a medal could not respond to the Kenyans finishing spring in the last 100 metres and had to settle for bronze in 6:25.30. In a high standard quality final, which included 17 runners from 12 different countries, fourteen athletes improved on their personal best. In a career best performance, Kenyan Sammary Cherotich crowned herself 1500m World Youth Champion on the third day of the 5th IAAF World Championships.

In a competitive first lap, Cherotich held off a determined group, which included American Jordan Hasay, Keneyan Sheila Chepkirui Kiprotich and Australian Melissa Duncan, to run the first lap in 1: 06.32. She, however, found herself trailing Hasay, who was the first at the 800m mark in 2: 16.08, though only two were fighting for the top position at this point. In the end, Cherotich, who took over the lead in the last 350m and reached 1200m in 3:25.11 before opening up the gap in the final 200m, won the event in a personal best 4:15.47. Hasay, who lost her lead after the bell lap, was in no danger for second and took the silver in 4: 17.24.
However, Duncan and Kiprotich, who were among the leaders for the first 400m, found to the end for the bronze, which went to Kiprotich in 4: 19.26. Duncan, who lost out in the final 50m, did 4:20.24 for fourth.

Mercy Cherono ran a well-judged race in 5000m and was responsible for the fastest time in the five stagings of this event for the world's premier under-18 athletes, coming under lights at the Vitkovice Stadium in the Czech Republic to set the first record of the championships. Her time of 8:53.94 shaved almost eight seconds from the previous record of 9: 01.61, which was set by her Sheila Chepkirui, at the last Championships in Marrakech. The slimly-built 16-year-old, who broke away from the pack with four laps to go, with second place finisher Mahlet Melese on her heels, took the event comfortably by about 10 metres.
The race was fast throughout as the leading pack crossed the 1000m mark in 2:59.6, but by the half way stage, Cherono and Melese were all alone upfront. They were timed in 7:07.51 at the 2400m mark, but at the bell lap (2600m) in 7:44.58, Cherono was still closely tracked by Melese, who lost her spark in the final 200m.
Though she proved competitive up to the last 200m, Melese had to settle for second in 8:56.98, also beating the previous mark while Sule Utura was third in 9:06.48.

17-year-old Legese Lamiso became the first ever Ethiopian runner to win a global Steeplechase title when he clocked a new World Youth leading time of 5:30.81 to win a superb gold medal. Lamiso finishing speed was no match for Silas Kosgei Kitum of Kenya who had to settle for silver in personal best 5:32.88. From the gun, one could tell the race would be an African affair but it was expected that Kenya's superiority at the event would remain unchallenged until a very determined Lamiso made his move to the front. Morocco's Abdellah Dacha out sprinted Jonathan Muia Ndiku, the second Kenyan in the race to claim bronze in yet another personal best 5:34.49. In total 8 out of 12 finalists improved on their personal records.

However, the third IAAF Golden league series in Rome was disappointing for Kenya athletes who failed to rise to the occasion as the hunt for the one million jackpot was reduced to three. Kenya's world indoor champion Wilfred Bungei was headed for victory in the 800m only to be nipped at the finish by Mohammed Al Salhi of Kazakhstan to finish 6th overall. African champion Janet Jepkosgei was third in the women's race won by Kenia Sinclair of Jamaica. Commonwealth 5000m champion Eliud Kipchoge was outsprinted by Ethiopia's Sileshi Sihine in that race to finish second as his compatriot Linet Masai finished 8th in the women's race won by Alaoui Melsouli of Morocco.

No wild card –Athletics Kenya

Olympics 3000m Steeplechase champion Ezekiel Kemboi has pleaded with the national governing body to consider giving him a wild card to the world athletics championships slated Osaka, Japan to avoid missing out on the world’s coveted event.The athlete broke his silence on the matter explaining the short duration between the completion of the 9th All Africa Games and the date for the national trials for the Osaka championships.

According to him, fatigue was a matter of concern considering the athletes will be allowed only two days to fly from Algeria, rest and attend the trials at the Nyayo stadium.He pleaded to the national governing body, Athletics Kenya (AK), to keep their promise to give him the card. His worries arose after AK chairman Isaiah Kiplagat while announcing the dates for the trials insisted that the athletes would have enough time to rest before the trials.Kemboi further said that he would definitely jet back to the country tired and would therefore skip the trials. If keeps word, it means that he will miss out in the Osaka event and an opportunity to defend his title, he fashionably lost to Kenya born-turned Qatari, Shaheen Seif.

Two other athletes have bowed out of the world event ahead of the kick off. Daniel Njenga and Salim Kipsang opted out of the team before the trials and were immediately replaced by Laban Kagika and Laban Kipkemboi, respectively. According to AK Secretary General David Okeyo, the two had not prepared adequately.AK also announced that participation in the trials was through invitation. At the same time, the Marathon team was also named to include Luke Kibet, Vienna City Marathon Champion, James Macharia, William Kiplagat and Laban Kipkemboi.In the Women team four-time Boston marathon winner Catherine Ndereba, three-time world cross country champion Edith Masai, Rita Jeptoo, Helen Kimaiyo and Rose Cheruiyot will be making the trip.