Kenya wins second gold in World Under-20 Championships

Kenya Wednesday night bagged gold and bronze medals in the men's 1,500m final at the ongoing World Athletics Under-20 Championships in Cali, Colombia.

Reynold Cheruiyot won the race after timing 3:35.83 ahead of Ethiopia’s Ermias Girma who bagged silver in 3:37.24, while another Kenyan Daniel Kimaiyo was in third place after timing 3:37.43.

Cheruiyot, who trains in Nyahururu, Laikipia County under Jacob Lang’at, hanged in the leading pack and when Kimaiyo slowed down, he took charge in the final lap and led all the way to the finishing line.

Kimaiyo trains in Kapsabet, Nandi County under the watchful eye of the former 800m champion Janeth Jepkosgei.

This was an improvement from last year’s performance where Kenya bagged gold medal through Vincent Keter.

Kenya missed a medal in the women's 800m race after the sole representative Nelly Chepchirchir came in fourth place in a personal best of 2:01.42  in a race won by USA’s Roisin Willis, who ran a course record time of 1:59.13.

Switzerland’s Audrey Werro (1:59.53) and USA’s Juliette Whittaker (2:00.18) were in second and third positions respectively.

In the women’s 400m race, Damaris Mutunga booked a slot in the final after coming second in the first heat timing 52.29 behind Yemi Mary John from Great Britain, who clocked 51.72, while Ella Clayton from Canada was in third place clocking 52.84.

The world under-20 bronze medalist Sylvia Chelangat came a distance fifth in the third heat after timing a season's best of 53.89 missing the final slot in a race won by Spain’s Berta Segura who led in 52.51.

In the 400m men’s semifinals, Kenya’s Elkanah Kiprotich Chemelil bowed out of the championships after finishing eighth in the second heat clocking 48.03.