‘The president’ is back! Kiplangat returns with easy 5000m victory
PHOTO | CHRIS OMOLLO Isaiah Kiplangat (left) leads contestants in the men’s 5000m race during the National Athletics Championships finals at Kasarani on June 22, 2013. Kiplagat won in 13:30.4 and declared himself fit for the national trials.
What you need to know:
- Top cop obliterates the field and declares himself fit and ready for the Worlds trials
Policeman Isaiah Kiplangat declared himself fully fit and ready to make an assault on the World title when he beat a quality field to win the 5,000m title at the National Athletics Championships on Saturday at Kasarani.
Even though contestants huddled themselves together until the last two laps, it was Kiplangat, the Kenya Defence Forces Cross Country champion Leonard Oloitiptip and the 2008 World Junior 10,000m champion, Josephat Bett (Police), who looked strong favourites for victory.
But that was until the bell went as Kiplangat, earlier christened ‘Chairman’ and now ‘President’, took the initiative, easily cruising ahead of the pack with long strides for victory. The 24-year-old Oloitiptip seemed determined to catch up with Kiplangat who kept looking over his shoulder, but the KDF man’s efforts fell short at the last bend to homestretch.
The 19-year-old Kiplangat, who won the 2009 World Youth 3,000m title, was home and dry in 13 minutes and 30.4 seconds, beating Oloitiptip to silver in 13:31.1 as Bett settled for bronze in 13:35.5.
Comfortably won women’s title
“I ran a relaxed race and my body is responding quite well,” Kiplangat said. “The President is back, completely healed after a hip joint injury.”
Kiplangat said the injury spoiled his chances of winning a medal at the London Olympics. “I thank God I have healed just on time and I hope to qualify for my second World Championships,” said Kiplangat, who finished fourth during the 2011 Daegu Worlds. He sustained the injury in training and it worsened at the London Olympic Games, where he finished fifth in 13:43.83. He has a personal best 12:48.64 set in Paris, 2012.
“I should be at the peak come the national trials,” said Kiplangat. The national trials for the Worlds are due July 11 to 13 at the Nyayo National Stadium.
Mary Wacera from Central won women’s 5,000m race in 16:03.7, beating 2011 Africa Junior 1,500m champion, Stacy Ndiwa (Police, 16:04.0) and 2009 Berlin and 2001 Daegu 5,000m silver medallist, Sylvia Kibet (Police, 16:04.3).
World Indoor 3,000m champion, Helen Obiri (KDF) comfortably clinched women’s 1,500m crown in 4:05.3, beating two-time World 3,000m champion Mercy Cherono (Police, 4:06.3) and 2008 Beijing Olympics 1,500m gold medallist, Jebet Lagat (KDF) 4:06.5.
Obiri and Lagat are fine-tuning for the metric mile race at the trials, while Cherono is targeting a slot in 5,000m.
