by Justin Lagat
Asbel Kiprop, photo by PhotoRun.net
The Kenyan Trials, held last weekend, were full of surprises. Here is the day two recap from Justin Lagat, our correspondent from Kenya.
Highlights of the second day of Kenya’s Olympic trials in Eldoret, by Justin Lagat
The first event of the day was the women’s 400m H and it was Maureen Jelagat who won the race and made the team to the Olympic Games. She did not run again as expected in the women’s 400m race later in the day, but she was named in the team in both events.
The second event was the men’s 10,000m. Fans always count on Bedan Karoki to make a 10,000m, or a cross country race interesting and he did not disappoint today after the first 1000m of the race at the Kipchoge Stadium. He started doing some 400m surges causing the pack at the front to be less crowded, but soon stepped out after covering about 3000m, which was a disappointment to many fans.
However, a bigger disappointment was awaiting them. With four laps to go, and already in a leading pack with only two other athletes, Geoffrey Kamworor pulled out of the race and the stadium was shocked. Paul Tanui started opening a gap on Charles Yosei with two laps to go and won the race with a great finishing kick.
Vivian Cheruiyot came back to double in the women 5000m and she was in a class of their own with Hellen Obiri as Mercy Cherono and Violah Kibiwot battled for third place. Cheruiyot started to kick with about 300m to go and Obiri could not react as she followed to take second. Cherono came third after Kibiwot started to fade with less than two laps to go.
Faith Kipyegon showed that she is in good shape as she easily shook off her competitors with about 200m of the race to win the women 1500m race comfortably.
The men’s 1500m race left all the fans in the stadium on their feet.
Asbel Kiprop, for the first time this year, ran the first two laps of the race behind his competitors. When he started moving towards the front as they approached the bell, the stadium went wild. It was still anyone’s game until the last 150m when Kiprop, Elijah Manangoi and Ronald Kwemoi started to open a slight gap from the rest and went ahead to finish the race in that order.
Margaret Nyairera won the women 800m followed by Eunice Sum in second and Winnie Chebet in third.
Alfred Kipketer was the surprise winner in the men’s 800m as Ferguson Rotich took second and David Rudisha came third. Rudisha led the first 400m of the race before a punch of athletes rushed past him just after the bell and got boxed into the inside lane before he could find an opening in the last 100m and fought hard to get into the third position.
In the women’s 3000m steeplechase, Hyvin Kiyeng apparently seemed not to have had a tough competition as she looked comfortable in the company of Beatrice Chepkoech and another athlete. She finally started to move away with one lap to go winning the race way ahead of the rest. Chepkoech followed to take second and seal the first two guaranteed spots.
The men’s 3000m steeplechase race was the climax of the day and was one of the races that fans were eagerly looking forward to. Jairus Birech dropped out of the race. However, as fans waited for an explosive battle among Conseslus Kipruto, Brimin Kipruto and Ezekiel Kemboi, the three started chatting among themselves as they approached the finish line and held hands as they slowed down to almost a walk across the line.
Brimin got the flowers, though.
The Named Kenyan Olympic Team:
Women
400m Hurdles: Maureen Jelagat
400m: Maureen Jelagat, Margaret Nyairera Wambui
800m: Margaret Nyairera Wambui, Eunice Sum, Winnie Chebet,
1500m: Faith Chepngetich, Nancy Chepkwemoi. Viola Lagat
3000m S/Chase: Hyvin Kiyeng, Beatrice Chepkoech, Lydia Rotich
5000m: Vivian Cheruiyot, Hellen Obiri, Mercy Cherono
10000m: Vivian Cheruiyot, Betsy saina, Alice Aprot
Marathon: Jemima Sumgong, Helah Kiprop, Visline Jepkesho
20km Walk: Grace Wanjiru
Men
200m: Kevin Nkanata, Mike Mokamba
400m Hurdles: Nicholas Bett, Boniface Mucheru, Aron Koech
400m: Alphas Kishoyan, Raymond Kibet, Alex Sampao, Boniface Mweresa
800m: Alfred Kipketer, Ferguson Rotich, David Rudisha
1500m: Asbel Kiprop, Elijah Manangoi, Ronald Kwemoi
3000m S/Chase: Brimin Kipruto, Conceslus Kipruto, Ezekiel Kemboi
5000m: Caleb Mwangangi Ndiku, Isaiah Kiplangat Koech
10000m: Paul Tanui, Charles Yosei, Geoffrey Kamworor, Bedan Karoki
Marathon: Eliud Kipchoge, Stanley Biwott, Wesley Korir
Javelin: Julius Yego
20km Walk: Samuel Gathimba, Simon Wachira
High Jump: Mathew Sawe
