by Larry Eder
Kiprop, Centrowitz, Souleiman, photo by PhotoRun.net
Asbel Kiprop is rounding back into shape. His 1:45.04 should open a few eyes. Geoffrey Kamworor has his mind set on winning the 10,000 meters in Beijing: so do a few others.
Vivian Cheruiyot did quite well at the Kenyan National Championships.
As Justin Lagat notes, the National trials are only a few weeks away.
Time will tell….
Asbel Kiprop, Vivian Cheruiyot and Geoffrey Kamworor shine at Kenya’s National Athletics Championships, by Larry Eder
Some of the athletes who featured prominently during the final day of the national athletics championships that were done today (11th July 2015) at the Safaricom Kasarani Stadium in Nairobi included Geoffrey Kamworor, the world cross country and half marathon champion; Vivian Cheruiyot, the Daegu double world champion of 5000m and 10,000m and Asbel Kiprop, the world and Olympic 1500m champion.
All won in their respective races, despite the fact that none of them was running in their races of specialties in which they target to do at the world championships in Beijing.
What was interesting in the championships also was the fact that a number of new Kenyan records, and some of the fastest times in the last ten years were registered in the sprints. Joy Sakari’s two Kenyan records in one day, in 200m and 400m, in particular were unbelievable.
Another sprint record that fell was the men’s 100m in which Mike Mukamba set a new one of 10.24 .
Vivian Cheruiyot represented the Kenya Police in the women’s 1500m event. She was trailing the rest of the field in the early stages of the race, but moved up slowly until she was in fourth position at the bell. In the last 150m, she replicated her 2011 great finishing kicks to stay ahead of the field and to comfortably win in 4:09.
In an after-race interview, she told reporters that she is yet to decide whether she will go for the 10,000m or the 5000m at the Kenyan trials that will happen from 31stJuly to 1st August in Nairobi. It remains to be seen whether she will choose to race against Genzebe Dibaba and Almaz Ayana in the 5000m, or decide to do the 10,000m.
The women 3000m steeplechase race in the last stages became a clear competition between Purity Cherotich and Ivy Kiyeng, both representing the Kenya Police. After a photo-finish, Purity emerged the winner as Kiyeng settled for second position. At the trials, the two will meet other challengers that will include Virginia Nyambura. According to Purity, she believes that Kenya’s women in this event have great chances of winning the top medals in Beijing.
Geoffrey Kamworor showcased his strong determination to win the men’s 10,000m title at the world championships in Beijing by beating a stellar field to win the men’s 5000m race. It was one fast race. At the bell only one athlete, Isaiah Koech, was still running behind him, but then the gap grew rapidly as he accelerated to win comfortable as Isaiah came in second. Kamworor said he was going to win the world half marathon championship title, and he did it. He also said he was going to win the world cross country championships, he did that too.
His focus is now on the 10,000m title at the world championships, and perhaps it is time we get to believe that he does what he sets his mind to do.
The climax of the day was in the men’s 800m event in which Asbel Kiprop and Timothy Kitum were featuring. From gun to tape, Asbel Kiprop ran at the front, which was a different running style for him, to win in 1:45.04.
However, he revealed after the race that he was just doing the distance to sharpen his speed ahead of his main race for the year which will be the 1500m in Beijing. One reporter asked him whether he will be attempting the world record in Monaco on Friday next week.
Asbel replied that he will just be running his race and trying to beat his competitors there. However, given the lineup of strong contenders there, anything can be expected in Monaco.
