Mwangangi, Sum harvest more medals
Britain's Mo Farah (right) celebrates with Kenya's silver medallist Caleb Mwangangi Ndiku (left) after winning the final of the men's 5000 metres athletics event at the 2015 IAAF World Championships at the "Bird's Nest" National Stadium in Beijing on August 29, 2015. PHOTO | ADRIAN DENNIS |
What you need to know:
- Britain’s Mo Farah yet again proved a hard nut to crack when he beat Caleb Mwangangi to gold in the 5000m final. Mwangangi took silver in 13:51.75 against Farah’s winning time of 13:50.38. The bronze went to Hagos Gebrhiwet of Ethiopia in 13:51.86.
- Farah became the first man to win back-to-back world distance doubles.
- On the final day, Kenya has medal prospects in three races.
IN BEIJING
Kenya won two more medals at the 2015 World Athletics Championships here yesterday to stay at the top of the table.
Britain’s Mo Farah yet again proved a hard nut to crack when he beat Caleb Mwangangi to gold in the 5000m final. Mwangangi took silver in 13:51.75 against Farah’s winning time of 13:50.38. The bronze went to Hagos Gebrhiwet of Ethiopia in 13:51.86.
Isaiah Kiplagat and Edwin Soi were eighth and 10th in 13:55.98 and 13:59.02 respectively.
In the women’s 800m final, Eunice Sum surrendered her title to settle for bronze in 1:58.18. The gold went to Marina Arzamasova of Belarus in 1:58.03 while Canada’s Melisa Bishop grabbed the silver in 1:58.12.
(READ: Sum stunned in 800m final)
“There was this pressure because everybody wanted me to defend (the title she won in Moscow in 2013) but I thank God for the bronze,” Sum said, adding that she was not in very good shape during the semi-final and yesterday’s final. She felt some strain on her thigh.
But Mwangangi said long distance races were becoming boring because runners from other countries were using Kenyans as pace setters. “These races are becoming boring because Mo Farah and Ethiopians want the Kenyans to set pace for them and when we don’t the race becomes very slow and boring,” Mwangangi said.
“I knew a slow race would end up being anybody’s race. That is why with two laps to go, I decided to break away because I knew this was the only way to beat the Ethiopians,” he added.
Farah became the first man to win back-to-back world distance doubles. Farah, who won the 10,000m on the opening weekend, seals a unique “triple double” of distance titles at consecutive world championships and the London Olympics.
“Tonight I had to dig deep, it came down to the last 100 metres,” said the Somali-born Farah, 32. “I felt a bit tired going through the rounds and coming back again.”
Farah’s victory gave him an unprecedented seventh successive distance win at world championships and Olympics, stretching back to his 5,000m gold at Daegu in 2011.
On the final day, Kenya has medal prospects in three races.
The women’s marathon team looks set to claim gold, Asbel Kiprop is in good shape for the 1,500m final but Mercy Cherono faces a tough challenge in the women’s 5000m final. Defending champion Ednah Kiplagat is favourite for the marathon title. She won in Daegu, Korea in 2011 and repeated the same in Moscow in 2013 thus equaling Catherine Ndereba’s feat (2003 and 2007).
Kiplagat is seeking to make history by becoming first to win the title three times back-to-back. “It is never easy to defend a title because most people you are lining up against are new faces and you don’t know their ability,” said Kiplagat.
She will be with Visiline Chepkesio, Hela Kiprop and Jemimah Sumgong. In the women’s 5000m final, Cherono will be doing battle with Viola Kibiwott, Janet Kisa and Irene Cheptai. In the men’s 1,500m final, Kiprop will be in the company of Elijah Manangoi, Timothy Cheruiyot and Silas Kiplagat.
