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| Sifan Hassan and Laura Weightman after going 1-2 |
The women’s 1 mile race became the much talked about race after Sifan Hassan turned it around from what had appeared to be a low profile event, given the scarcity of other big names to provide competition. It was only Tsegay Gudaf who was able to stick with Hassan after the pacesetter had stepped out. For a while, it appeared as though Tsegay was trailing Hassan and waiting to strike in the last stages of the race.
But, just after the bell, Hassan accelerated and built a big gap that kept increasing rapidly as she went for the new world record crossing the finish line in 4:12.33. Tsegay would suffer from her mistake of trying to keep up with her as two other athletes overtook her before she reached the finish line. Laura Weightman finished second in a personal best time of 4:17.60 followed by Canada’s Gabriela Debues-Stafford in a new national record of 4:17.87.
Amos Nijel was less than a second away from smashing David Rudisha’s world record of 1:40.91 in the men’s 800m after having ran just behind the pace setter after a very fast 400m that the pacesetter crossed it in 48:70. He continued to maintain the lead till he crossed the finish line in a world leading time of 1:41.89. Ferguson Rotich finished second in a personal best time of 1:42.54 while Amel Tuka in 1:43.62 crossed the finish line in third.
Amos Nijel was less than a second away from smashing David Rudisha’s world record of 1:40.91 in the men’s 800m after having ran just behind the pace setter after a very fast 400m that the pacesetter crossed it in 48:70. He continued to maintain the lead till he crossed the finish line in a world leading time of 1:41.89. Ferguson Rotich finished second in a personal best time of 1:42.54 while Amel Tuka in 1:43.62 crossed the finish line in third.
Timothy Cheruiyot appeared to have lacked the right pacemake who understood what he wanted as he looked impatient in the men’s 1500m. At one stage of the race, he momentarily overtook the pacemakers before allowing the second one to try his job again. For the second time, Jakob Ingebrigtsen ran another impressive time of 3:30.47 to finish second behind Cheruiyot. Uganda’s Ronald Masagala ran a national record of 3:30.58.
Sofiane El Bakalli won the men’s 3000m steeplechase race in a world leading time of 8:04.82. In second came Benjamin Kigen in a personal best time of 8:05.12 ahead of Ethiopia’s Getnet Wale in a new national record time of 8:05.51.
Ajee Wilson ran an impressive time of 1:57.73 to edge Goule Natoya who finished second in 1:57.90. Laura Muir in a distance that is not her specialty ran a personal best of 1:58.42 to finish third.
Sofiane El Bakalli won the men’s 3000m steeplechase race in a world leading time of 8:04.82. In second came Benjamin Kigen in a personal best time of 8:05.12 ahead of Ethiopia’s Getnet Wale in a new national record time of 8:05.51.
Ajee Wilson ran an impressive time of 1:57.73 to edge Goule Natoya who finished second in 1:57.90. Laura Muir in a distance that is not her specialty ran a personal best of 1:58.42 to finish third.
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NAIROBI KEEPS IT HOME
With day one of the Kenya Prisons Athletics Championships having just concluded a few moments ago, Nairobi region made sure that the hosts retained the ultimate prize of the day when Peter Emase won the men’s 10, 000 meters race, clocking a time of 28:38:50.
Having previously run in the shadows of North Eastern representatives Kangogo and Kimetei earlier in the race, Emase had by the 21st lap already created a gap which he kept increasing before crossing the finish line comfortably.
Kimitei and Kangogo came in second and third respectively.
In the day’s other finals, the high jump was won by Edwin Too representing Prison’s Staff Training College (PSTC), while in the women’s long jump, Ivyn Chepkemoi won for the Prisons Headquarters (PHQ).
The contestants were all divided into eleven categories; the eight provinces, PSTC, PHQ and the guest participants.
The women’s 100 meters hurdles final was taken by the Nyanza representative who clocked 14:83.
Earlier in the day, all heats of the women’s 100 meters were won by the guests, with Nairobi coming in at second place in the second and third heats courtesy of Damaris and Nekesa respectively.
Nairobi continued with their dominance of the day, taking the second heat of the men’s 100 meters while Stephen Barasa took the final heat for North Eastern with a 10:94 dash.
In the women’s 400 meters heats, former national champion Maureen Chelagat easily won the first heat for central in a time of 54:92. The second heat went to the guest runner, clocking 56:26 while the final heat was taken by the Western representative who crossed the line at 56:26.
As the day progressed, Nairobi’s grip on the day’s events seemed to loosen, with the men’s 400 meters heats being shared between Nyanza, PSTC and PHQ’s Vincent Kosgei who clocked 48:69 in the final heat.
In the semis of the men’s 110 meters hurdles, a resurgent North Eastern took the first heat while PSTC took the second one in 16:39.
Tomorrow, the final day of the championship, opens with the walking races and later on the remaining finals. Kenyan Athlete will keep you informed on all of the day’s events including the much awaited 5000 meters men’s final.
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