by Larry Eder
African Championships: South African Cremona grabs games first gold, Ahoure, Okgabare set for thrilling final, by Evelyn Watta
MARRAKECH, August 10, 2014 – South Africa’s Orazio Cremona and Eritrean Nguse Amlosom headlined the first day of competition,Sunday at the African Athletics championships in Marrakech, Morocco.
Cremona ensured South Africa retained the shot-put gold the third consecutive title with a throw of 19.84m as his colleague Jaco Engelbrech grabbed silver with his 18.87m hurl.
Eritrean Nguse Amlosom, a world champion and London Olympic finalist was the surprise winner of the men’s 10 000m gold an unexpected rival, as the Ethiopians and Kenyans who were widely tipped to dominate the race flopped.
But Nguse who had stayed at a touching distance with the lead pack which broke off from the rest of the field barely half way into the race, outpaced the fatigued Kenyans who flew directly from the Commonwealth games and the ever speeding Ethiopian charge led by 2011 World silver winner Imane Merga, to win in 28:11.07 seconds.
Mustapha Elaziz thrilled the scattered local fans at the Grande Stade de Marrakech outsprinting Kenyan Joseph Bett, the commonwealth silver medalist for second in 28.11.36. Bett settled for bronze as Merga dropped to fixth (28:17.75).
The North/East African are expected to continue their control of the long and middle distance races in both the men and women’s races besides the men’s 800m where Botswana’s Amos Nigel is star favorite after his imposing gold winning run in Glasgow. The World record holder David Rudisha, second at the club games opted to skip the event and polish up his finishing speed.
Ethiopian Mohamed Aman, the world indoor champion from Sopot is listed as starter for Monday’s heats.
French based Laetitia Bambara dethroned two-time African champion Senegalese Amy Seme for the gold in women’s hammer throw. Sene the winner in the last two editions looked set to retain her title before Bambara’s final throw of 65.44 relegated her to silver. Bambara won the silver in the last edition in Porto Novo, Benin. Sene’s throw was measured at 64.46.
Nigerian sprint sensation Blessing Okagbare, fresh from her double sprints victory in Glasgow and Ivorian Muriel Ahoure silver winner in the 100m and 200m at the world championships are set to to light up the Marrakech track when they line up for the women’s final on Tuesday.
Both runners dominated their heats and semi final runs with Ahoure clocking the days’ fastest time of 11.19 seconds.
“I know Blessing is in shape but am also in good form and we should have a good race tomorrow. It is possible to dip to under 11 for the first time in the African championships,” said the Ivorian.
Okagbare, the 2020 African winner who timed 11.20 in the other semi was equally buoyant.
“I am in good shape and am looking forward to racing Ahouire, she should bring out my best,” she offered on the anticipated West African duel.
The African championships runs through August 14.
Selected results
10000m men
1.Nguse Amlosom ERI 28:11.07
2.Mustapha Elaziz MAR 28:11.36
3.Josephat Bett KEN 28:11.61
4.Adugna Tekele ETH 28:12.27
5.Imane Merga ETH 28:17.75
6. Peter Kirui KEN 28:34.48
7.Olivier Irabaruta BDI 28:39.26
8.Charles Cheruiyot KEN 28:47.08
Shot put men’s final
1.Orazio Cremona RSA 19.84
2.Jaco Engelbrecht RSA 18.87
3.Frank Owaka CGO 18.74
Hammer Throw final
1. Laetitia Bambara BUR 65.44
2. Amy sene SEN 64.46
3.Sara Ben Saad TUN 60.97
400m -Heat 1
1.Wayde Van Niekerk RSA 46.78
2.Gyles Afoumba CGO 46.80
3.Kenenisa Hailu Bali ETH 46.82
400m -Heat 2
1.Onkabets Nkobolo BOT 46.78
2.Noah Akwu NGR 46.88
3.haji Beker ETH 46.90
4.Mark Mutai KEN 46.93
400m-Heat 3
1.Pako Seribe BOT 46.12
2.Boniface Mucheru KEN 46.58
3.Mohamed Khwaja LBA 46.98
100m semi final 1
1. Muriel Ahoure CIV 11.19
2. Pon Traore BUR 11.53
3.Lawreta Ozoh NGR 11.58
100m women semi final 2
1. Blessing Okagabare NGR 11.20
2.Marie Jose Ta Lou CIV 11.25
3.Gloria Asumnu NGR 11.44
100m men semi final 1
1. Wilfred Hua CIV 10.17
2.Edward Monzavous NGR 10.38
3.Jammeh Adama GAM 10.41
100m semi final 2
1. Mark Jelks NGR 10.16
2.Akani Simbine RSA 10.27
3.Aziz Ouhadi MAR 10.33
100m semifinal 3
1.Simon Magakwe RSA 10.36
2.Ogho-Oghene Egwero NGR 10.37
3.Beranger Bosse CAF 10.52
