Records broken in Kenya as more than 100 athletes qualify for all Africa games
Kenya hosted Rwanda, Burundi and Tanzania during the Kenya national athletics championships that were held in Moi International sports center Kasarani to select their teams for the All Africa Games set for Congo, Brazzaville and the 15th IAAF World Athletics Championships at the Birds Nest Stadium in Beijing, China, next month.
Fot. Geoffrey Kipsang Kamworor leading the park during the Kenya National
cross country trials in Uhuru Gardens early this year.
The national championships brought out from 16 affiliate regions to athletics Kenya that have been taking place in 16 regions in the grass roots had an important significant to Kenyan athletics as it lays down the ground for the national trials to be held on 31st July to 1st August 2015 to select the teams that will represent Kenya during the IAAF world championships set for Guiyang China as from 22nd to 30th of August this year while for the visitors Rwanda, Burundi and Tanzania, this was their supper trials as they were using the event to look for the qualifying times ahead the All Africa Games and the IAAF world Championships in China.
It was Mike Mokamba, who set the record breaking spree in motion, when he assaulted Tom Musinde’s 10.26secs mark in the 100 m, setting a new national record of 10.23, even as Fransisca Koki smashed a new 400 m hurdles record of 55.82 to break her own record of 55.84 she set in Morocco.
For Florence Wasike, who ran 14:08 in winning the 100 m hurdles to break her 14:21 national record, things did not work her way as she failed to hit the qualifying time for the international events. Alphas Kishoyian, the 2011 World Youth 400 m silver medalist, ran an impressive time 44.75 seconds in the men’s 400m – a feat that no other athlete has achieved in 20 years since the times of Kennedy Ochieng and David Kitur
Commonwealth games 10000 m champion Joyce Jepkirui who was dropped from the national team after making the team for Moscow world championships in 2013 re-affirmed her bit to make the team to the 1015 IAAF World championships when she won the women’s 10000 m while Vincent Yator take the men’s category.
Vivian Cheruyot the 2011 5000 and 10000 m champion once again fired warning shots to Ethiopia’s track assassin Genzebe Dibaba as she cruised to 1500 m victory which she was using to build on her speed. Asbel Kiprop who is the king of 1500 m dominated in 800 m nailing down Jackson Kivuva and Timothy Kitum. Lydia Wafula gave Anneth Mwinzi a run for the money in women’s 800 m
In 400m huddles, Francisca Koki slapped Rose Tata Muiya’s national record set 28 years ago by running a personal best of 55.84 sec beating Jariot Gathongo to second position And with six weeks into the World Athletics Championships, World Cross Country champion Geoffrey Kipsang Kamworor re-affirmed his intent to stop double Olympic and world 5000 m champion Mo Farah’s title defense bid with a commanding win in 5000 m
Elija Manangoi won the men’s 1500 m ahead of timothy Cheruiyot while the little known Joash Kiplimo out-sprinted world bronze medalist Abel Kirui to win the 3000 m steeplechase. Purity Cherotich, diamond league winner Ivy kiyeng and Joan Chepkemoi took the top three positions in women’s 3000 m respectively
The overall team title was won by the Kenya Defense Forces scoping 22medals closely followed by the Kenya police with 17 medals. The Kenya Prisons scored 16 medals to finish 3rd with and the central Rift finishing fourth.