World 1,500m champ Cheruiyot triumphs in 800m

Sandra Felis Chebet and Elijah Mathew stole the show by bagging a double each at the second Athletics Kenya Track and Field Meeting in Kisumu on Saturday.

World 1,500 metres champion Timothy Cheruiyot clinched victory in men's 800m race, and  world under-20 race walk champion Dominic Ndigiti, Kip Keino Classic silver medallists Sylvia Kemboi (women's 10,000m race walk) and Vincent Mutai (10,000m) excelled in their specialties at Moi Stadium in Kisumu.

Millicent Ndoro won the women’s 100m race, Linda Kagecha  triumphed in women's 400m, Wycliffe Kinyamal took the men's 400m title and Mercy Chebet starred in women's 200m.

Having won the 10,000m race in 34 minutes, 32.4 seconds on the murram track at Moi Stadium on Friday, Chebet was not done yet.

She signed off on a high note with victory in women’s 5,000m race. The dream came true in style for the athlete from Limotit Camp in Kericho who led from start to finish, romping home in 15 minutes, 34.0 seconds.

Irene Kimais from Nandi, who found it tough to cope with Chebet's pace, finished second in 15:50.3 ahead of Kericho's Miriam Cherop who timed 53:53.2.

Eyes on prize

"When I came here, I wanted nothing less than finishing top. I am happy I have achieved exactly that in all the two races," said Chebet who emerged second in the women's 5,000m at the Nairobi's meeting held two weeks ago.

Kenya Defence Force’s (KDF) Mathew destroyed a rich field, to cross the finish line first in men's 100m and 200m. In 100m, Mathew clocked 11.9 seconds, beating Kenya Prisons’ Hesbon Ochieng and Charles Nyamweya (individual), who came a distant second and third, respectively. in a photo-finish of 12.1.

But the time registered by the trio in the final was much slower compared to what they clocked  in Friday's heats. All the three athletes had timed below 11 seconds in the qualifiers.

In the men's 200m final, Mathew timed 21.0, just three microseconds ahead of Ronald Koech of the General Service Unit.

Cheruiyot, who won silver in the 1,500m race at the delayed 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games that were held last year, had no match in the men's 800m which he dominated and won in 1 minute 46.8 seconds.  Macdonal Kipruto and Norbery Kolombos finished second and third in 1:47.2 and 1.47.1 respectively.

In race walking, Ndigiti and Sylvia Kemboi cashed in on the absence of tough opponents to romp home easily.  In the men’s event that had three entrants only, Ndigiti who is also the Africa under-20 champion led from start to finish, to win in 46:13.6.

Kemboi, who also led from start to finish in the women's race that had six competitors, timed 48:47.2.

Naomi Jepkurui of KDF was second in 50:09.7, her compatriot Assumpta Ikate coming third in 51:37.4.

"The race was good, save for the heat. My competitors were also not as tough as I had thought," said Kemboi, who finished second at the Nairobi's meeting.

She said her target is to qualify for the World Championships.

Ndoro of the National Police Service won the women's 100m in 11.9 while Kangecha (KDF) topped in women's 400m in 53.2. Kinyamal (NPS) finished first in the men's 400m in 45.9 while Chebet from Kericho triumphed in women's 200m in 24.3.