How Chepng'etich inspired Nyaga to Africa 10,000m title

An inspiring note and a pair of spike from Olympic 1,500 metres champion Faith Chepng’etich stirred Caroline Nyaga to victory in women’s 10,000 metres on Saturday at Africa Senior Athletics Championships at Cote d’Or National Sports Complex in Neduit, Mauritius.

The message and the pair of spikes were delivered on the eve of the 5,000m race on Thursday by an athlete from Hengelo, the Netherlands where Chepng’etich won the 800m race.

Kenya witnessed yet another star being born when Nyaga, who had on Thursday claimed bronze in 5,000m, clocked 32 minutes and 12.61 minutes to ensure that Kenya retained the women's title.

“Nyaga didn’t have the running spikes and she was quite emotional when she received the note and the spikes in Mauritius, They arrive right on time,” said Nyaga’s veteran coach Bruce Lati.

Said the note from Chepng’etich: ”Hi Caroline. This is Faith Kipyegon, 1,500m champion. I want to wish you all the best in Africa Championships. Bring the medals home. Byee.”

“What else can inspire someone. Faith is our heroine and I thank her for that,” said Lati, who started coaching Nyaga after she cleared her Form Four at Kiriari Day Secondary School, Embu in 2014.

Nyaga edged out Rachel Chebet from Uganda to second place in 32:17.66 to settle for silver as Ethiopia Meseret Gebre Dekebo took bronze in 32:25.97.

Nyaga's feat took Kenya's medal tally to 12 medals going into the final day on Sunday.

Nyaga had clocked personal best 15:05.34 to claim bronze in 5,000m as compatriot Beatrice Chebet won gold in 15:00.82 with Ethiopian Belayneh Azale Fentaye going for silver in 15:01.89.

Kenya has five gold, two silver and five bronze medals.

However, Kenya couldn’t have it way all through after the national 200m champion Ferdinand Omanyala’s dream of a treble went up in smoke.

Africa’s fastest man, who had won the 100m and 4x100m failed to qualify for the 200m semi-final, finishing third in the seventh heat in 21.01 seconds on Saturday.

Omanyala’s compatriot Mike Mokamba and Dan Kiviasi, who failed through the first round, found the going tough after encountering a waterloo in the semi-finals.

The national 100m and 200m champion Maximilla Imali sailed through to the women’s 200m final, two days after finishing fourth in the 100m final. Her compatriot Millicent Ndolo failed to scale the semi hurdle.

Kenya’s champion Martha Musai lost in her quest in women’s javelin as her rivals from South Africa proved strong.  

Musai settled fourth with a throw of 50.76m, losing the battle to South Africans Joane Van Dyk (60.65), Mckyla Van Der Westhuizen (55.55m) and Jana Van Schalkwyk(54.49).