by Justin Lagat
Botswana fans really love Athletics, and this could be seen in the filled-up stadium in Gaborone and in the effort the organizers put in—working throughout the night—to ensure a new track was fitted ahead of the Botswana Golden Grand Prix World Athletics Continental Tour Gold event.
Probably observing the same, Ethiopia’s Hailemaryam appeared spoiled for choice as to who to throw the baguette of flowers among the adoring fans after his victory in the men’s 3000m steeplechase event. He decided to pick one flower at a time and hand it to as many fans as he could.
The men’s 100m and 200m events were the two highly anticipated events of the evening.
The shorter sprint event featured two of the fastest Africans: Kenya’s Ferdinand Omanyala and South Africa’s Akani Simbine. Running next to each other, the two battled it out shoulder to shoulder until after the first 50m, when Simbine began to stride away to win the race in a world-leading 9.90. Omanyala came second in 10.00.
As expected, Tebogo, the fastest man in Africa and Olympic champion over the 200m, was dominant in his special event, the 200m. He was already ahead as they turned the bend before he appeared to intentionally slow down and did enough to ensure he crossed the finish line first in 20.23 (-1.6m/s). South Africa’s Luxolo Adams finished second in 20.42, ahead of Kobe Vleminckx of Belgium in 20.45.
It is hard to tell whether having a similar name to Lamecha Girma, the men’s 3000m steeplechase record holder, motivated them, but two Ethiopians named Girma were part of the Ethiopians who dominated the event at the second continental tour gold meeting as they finished third and fifth. Behind the winner, Amara, who won the race in 8:28.00, was Milkesse Fekadu in 8:28.67, finishing second, and Girma Demelash in 8:29.67, finishing third. Of the top six positions, only Niklas Buchholz of Germany was a non-Ethiopian.
Americans dominated the women’s 400mH event, finishing 1-2. Former world record-holder Dalilah Muhammad was in great form, easily powering ahead of the field to a clear win, registering 53.81. Her compatriot Cassandra Tate ran 55.59 to finish second, while South Africa’s Zeney Geldenhuys ran 56.10 for third place.
There was a close finish in the men’s 400mH as South Africa’s Njabulo Mbatha edged out Kenya’s Mukhobe Weiseman in 49.06 against 49.07.
A surprise happened in the women’s 800m race when the home ground girl, Oratile Nowe, ran a fast 1:58.96 to beat the world U20 champion, Sarah Moraa of Kenya, to second place in 1:59.46.
