Kasait bounces back in style at Prisons championships
Lilian Kasait (front) wins the women's 5,000 metres ahead of Hellen Obiri and Agnes Tirop during the Kenyan trials for the Tokyo Olympics Games at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani on June 17, 2021.
What you need to know:
- The 26-year-old Kasait is making a return this year after serving a 10-month ban for a doping offence after she admitted using a hormone therapy drug Letrozole
- Mneria, who won his maiden 10,000m last year, saw the title escape with Kericho-based Lasoi after he timed 28: 33.7
The African Games 5,000 metres champion Lilian Kasait is back.
Coast’s Kasait captured the Kenya Prisons Service Athletics Championships women’s 5,000m as guest athlete Isaiah Lasoi dethrone Charles Mneria of the 10,000m title at the Moi International Sports Centre, on Friday.
Kasait, who finished fourth during Absa Kip Keino Classic on May 13, this year, clocked 15 minutes and 10.8 seconds to bag her maiden 5,000m title, beating Betty Chelagat to second place in 15:29.4.
The 26-year-old Kasait is making a return this year after serving a 10-month ban for a doping offence after she admitted using a hormone therapy drug Letrozole.
Kasait finished 12th in the 5,000m final at the 2021 Olympics in Tokyo, having settled fifth in the 5,000m final at the 2019 World Athletics Championships in Doha.
Mneria, who won his maiden 10,000m last year, saw the title escape with Kericho-based Lasoi after he timed 28: 33.7. Mneria of Central finished second in 28:37.8 while Cornelius Kipruto finished third in 28:54.5.
Earlier in the day, Commissioner-General of the Kenya Prisons Service Wycliffe Ogallo received sponsorship worth over Sh600,000 from several forms towards the championships among others sports events happening at Prisons this week.
Volleyball and darts are the other competitions taking place at the Kenya Prisons Staff Training College, Ruiru, Kiambu County.
Among the forms that handed over their sponsorship cheques were Kingdom Bank that gave Sh250,000, CPF Financial Services, who delivered Sh200,000 while Magereza Sacco donated Sh100,000.
The three also dominated t-shirts and waters among other equipment for use during the two-day championships alongside Kenya Women Microfinance Bank PLC (KWFT), Capex Life Assurance, Jafaris Credit, Izwe Loans and Real Hospital.
