In Caxias do Sul, Brazil

Decorated athlete Symon Kibai achieved his target of completing a double here at the 24th Summer Deaflympics, as Kenya surpassed her medal haul at the 2017 Games held in Samsun, Turkey. 

Kenya won a whopping eight medals in athletics (two gold, four silver and two bronze) in the action packed Saturday.

With that impressive performance, Kenya increased her medal tally to 24 (five gold, eight silver and 11 bronze) with both men’s and women’s marathon to spare.

The marathons were scheduled for Sunday from 8am local time (2pm in Kenya).

At the 2017 Samsun Games, Kenya finished ninth with a total of 16 medals (five gold, five silver and six bronze).

In the second last day of the global championship, Kibai, who had previously defended his men’s 10,000 metres title, also retained the men’s 5000m crown, but after bruising battle with compatriot Ian Wambui.

Wambui, who early in the week bagged gold in men’s 1500m, had vowed to go for Kibai’s scalp in the race. The duo went toe-to-toe at the Sesi Centro Esportivo Athletics Track, exchanging leads amid showers.

But it is at the final lap that Kibai showed Wambui that he is the G.O.A.T when he increased his pace to defend his title in 14minutes and 14.81 seconds.

An exhausted Wambui came second in 14:24.27, while Swedish Otto Kingstedt finished third in 14.44.19.

“When we were running with Ian, we saw Kingstedt right behind us so as a team, we decided to increase our pace until when we felt we were safe. We exchanged leads but when we were almost finishing, I felt that I could break so I went for it,” said Kibai.

“This time I have not broken any record because this place is very cold. Sometimes you want to increase the speed but it is hard because of the weather. Maybe I will break the records again during the Africa championships.”

Wambui said: “I tried my best, so I am very happy that my effort has given me another medal. This is my first time in the Deaflympics and I was almost beating him (Kibai). I will go back and train well, so that I can beat him next year.”

Elikana Rono was Kenya’s other gold medallist of the day after finishing first in men’s 800m in 1:54.75 seconds. Jaime Martinez of Spain claimed silver in 1:54.88, while Michal Kulpa of Poland settled for bronze in 1:54.91.

 In the women’s 5, 000m finals Grancy Kandagor won a bronze medal after finishing in 18:16.44 in the race which was won by Sara-Elise Ruokonen (17:33.03).

Lourdes Juarez of Mexico was beaten to second place in 17:33.91.

The Kenyan quartet Beryl Wamira, Linet Nanjala Sharon Bitok and Pamela Atieno clinched a silver in the women’s 4x400m relay while their male counterparts Isaac Atima, George Waweru Charles Muthama and Simon Menza settled for a bronze in the men’s event. It was Wamira’s fourth medal. She won two silver and two bronze medals.

Sharon Jeptarus and Rebecca Matiko won silver and bronze in the women’s 800m.  Anastasia Sydorenko of Ukraine won gold in 2:21.11.

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