AFRICA.Kenya: Reynold Cheruiyot, a Kenyan athlete bagged gold and bronze medals in the men’s 1,500m final at the ongoing World Athletics Under-20 Championships in Cali, Colombia.
Cheruiyot who trains in Nyahururu, Laikipia County under Jacob Lang’at, outplayed Ethiopia’s Ermias Girma with a race timing of 3:35.83 ahead of the latter’s 3:37.24.
Surprisingly, another Kenyan Daniel Kimaiyo came third in the game with a race timing of 3:37.43.
According to reports, Cheruiyot took over and made his way to the final lap when Kimaiyo slowed down. He would maintain the stance until he reached the finishing line. Kimaiyo trains in Kapsabet, Nandi County under Janeth Jepkosgei, the former 800m champion.
Yesterday’s win was an improvement for Kenya as a country. As last year, Vincent Keter bagged a gold medal.
Kenya missed a medal in the women’s 800m race after the sole representative Nelly Chepchirchir came in fourth place in her 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.
In the women’s 400m race, Damaris Mutunga made it to the final after emerging second in the first heat timing 52.29 behind Great Britain’s Yemi Mary John who clocked 51.72. Also, Canada’s Ella Clayton came third in the game with a 52.84 timing race.
Sylvia Chelangat, the world under-20 bronze medallist came a distant 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 semi-finals, Kenya’s Elkanah Kiprotich Chemelil bowed out of the championships after finishing eighth in the second heat clocking 48.03.
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