by Justin Lagat
Ferdinand Omanyala leads Kenya to gold in 4x100m, his second gold in African Champs, now off to the 200m! photo by Deji Ogeyingbo for RunBlogRun
This is Justin Lagat’s piece on day 3 of the African Championships. Justin is covering African Champs, plus did a piece on Rome DL this week. Justin is quite happy that Kenya won the men’s 100m and men’s 4x100m, but a little chagrined that Kenya did not dominate the men’s steeplechase.
On the third day of the African athletics championships, South Africa leads the medal table with 5 gold medals. Kenya is second with 4, while Nigeria follows in third with 3 gold medals.
After winning an individual gold medal in the men’s 100m the previous day, Kenya’s Ferdinand Omanyala secured a second gold medal after anchoring the 4 x 100m relay team. And, he is not done with the two gold medals.
“I came here for three gold medals. The hunt is still on. One more to go. So there’s no relaxation up to Sunday,” said Omanyala, who hopes to bag another gold medal in the men’s 200m.
The same feat happened to Nigeria’s Tobi Amusan, who had also won an individual gold medal in the women’s 100m hurdles and came back to help her team win the 4 x 100m relay title as well.
As the talk on Kenya’s dominance in the men’s 3000m steeplechase event showing signs of diminishing continues, the fact that the country could only manage a bronze medal in Mauritius does not help the situation. The gold medal went to Ethiopia’s Hailemariyam Tegen, who was followed by his compatriot Tadese Bikila for the silver medal. The Kenyan who carried much hope for the Kenyans in this event; Benjamin Kigen, would finish in sixth place, and it was the lesser-known Geoffrey Kirwa who won the bronze medal.
Slimane Moula of Algeria won the men’s 800m title in 1:45.59 ahead of Kenya’s Nicholas Kiplagat who took the silver medal in 1:46.43 and Botswana’s Tshepiso Masalela who took the bronze medal in 1:46.65.
The men’s 400m gold was won by Muzala Samukonga of Zambia in 45.31. Botswana’s Bayapo Ndori won the silver medal in 45.35, while Mohamed Farres Glassi of Tunisia took home the bronze medal in 45.54.
South Africa’s Miranda Coetzee took the women’s 400m race in 51.82 ahead of Niddy Mingilishi of Zambia, who secured the silver medal in a new personal best time of 52.36. Kenya’s Veronica Mutua, also in a personal best time, ran 52.76 to take the bronze medal.
