Sprinters Mbagari, Motende shine at AK Mombasa meet
Lemashon Lenny of Kenya Defence Forces sprints to the finish line in the men's 800m race during the fourth leg of the Athletics Kenya Track and Field Meeting at Mbaraki Sports Club, Mombasa on April 01, 2023.
What you need to know:
- Eastern’s Evangeline Makena and Meshack Letim of KDF claimed a double each in 10,000m and 5,000m as the Coastal celebrated the return of track and field events in the region
- Mbagari stormed to victory in women’s 100m in 12.0 seconds, beating former Africa Under-18 400m champion Linda Kageha (12.2) from Nairobi and compatriot Doreen Waka (12.5) respectively
- A day after winning the 10,000m crown, Makena went for the women’s 5,000m victory in 17:11.7, seeing off Caroline Biwott from Prisons to second place in 17:20.9
Kenya Prisons' Esther Mbagari and Robison Absolom Motende from Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) won the 100m metres titles as the fourth leg of Athletics Kenya Track and Field Meeting ended Saturday at Mbaraki Sports Club in Mombasa.
Eastern’s Evangeline Makena and Meshack Letim of KDF claimed a double each in 10,000m and 5,000m as the Coast region celebrated the return of track and field events.
Mbagari stormed to victory in women’s 100m in 12.0 seconds, beating former Africa Under-18 400m champion Linda Kageha (12.2) from Nairobi and compatriot Doreen Waka (12.5) respectively.
Mbagari was delighted with the win having braved the heat and tough track. "I executed well from the blocks to have an edge over the field,” said Mbagari, who went on to wrap a double with victory in 200m.
Mbagari clocked 25.0 to once again leave Kageha and Waka in her wake, settling second and third in 25.3 and 25.6 respectively.
Motende was simply sublime in his take-off before and all the way to the finishing line to win in 10.6, beating compatriot Justine Isaboke to second place in 10.8. International Hesbon Ochieng of Prisons came third in 10.9.
However, it’s Western’s Moses Onyango, who took away the men's 200m title in 22.3, brushing aside Isaboke and Dennis Masika all from KDF in 22.5 and 22.6 in that order.
A day after winning the 10,000m crown, Makena went for the women’s 5,000m victory in 17:11.7, seeing off Caroline Biwott from Prisons to second place in 17:20.9. Millicent Nyaberi from Nyanza South settled third in 17:42.4.
Letim was untouchable in men’s 10,000m after he bagged the title in 30:42.6, a day after he vanquished the field for the 5,000m honours.
Letim edged out Abraham Kimurgor from NYS to second place in 35:10.0 as home athlete Emmanuel Kiptoo clocked 37:43.4 for third.
Former international Grace Kidake, Susan Nyambura, Kageha and Waka propelled Team Coast to victory in women’s 4x100m, clocking 48.8 to beat KDF in 50.5 and Prisons in 50.9. Achievers finished fourth with a time of 52.2.
KDF won men’s 4x100m in 41.7 as Achievers followed in 42.5 with Prisons coming third in 42.7. Mercy Odongo timed 54.1 to win the women's 400m, beating Naomi Korir from Central Rift in 54.4 seconds. Korir had the previous day won the 800m final.
Kelvin Kiprotich from Prisons put away the men's 400m final in 47.7, leaving Rongai’s Allan Kipyego to finish second in 48.3 with Nathaniel Kipngetich clocking 48.4 for third.
Aron Kemei from Ngong romped home in 1:46.9 to claim the men’s 800m victory where Geoffrey Kapello from Prisons timed 1:49.2 for second. Former World Under-20 800m champion Alfred Kipketer from Central Rift was third in 1:51.8.
Prisons’ Peninah Wangari bagged the women’s 1,500m final 4:44.7 as Lemashon Lenny Kitokash of KDF went for the men’s 1,500m in 3:58.3.
African race walk silver medallist Silvia Kemboi from North Rift took 55:09.1 to win women’s 10,000m race walk with the 2017 World Under-18 race walk bronze medallist Dominic Ndigiti from Nyanza North going for men’s top honours in 44:09.1.
