Chris Musumba
30 April 2011
Nairobi — Timothy Kiptum and Uganda’s Anney Nekesa won explosive 800 metres final races as the curtains came down on the fourth leg of the Athletics Kenya/National Bank of Kenya Weekend track and field meeting at the Mumias Sports Complex on Saturday.
With both Olympic 1,500m champion Asbel Kiprop and former World Junior 800m silver medallist Winnie Chebet opting to skip the two-lap race finals, Kiptum emerged from the shadows to exploit the absence of the bigwigs in the men’s race to win in 1:48.2 which was far slower compared to Kiprop’s 1:46.5 that he ran in his heat on Saturday.
“I wanted to gauge my body ahead of the Diamond League in Doha next week. I want to run 800m race in Doha and running here in Mumias was meant to see how fast I could go,” he said.
Kiptum beat Anthony Chemutai to second in 1:48.5 with Edwin Kiplagat settling for third in 1:48.7 ahead of Geoffrey Maritim (1:49.1) and Eliud Ruto (1:49.3).
Sponsors NBK rewarded the winners with over Sh300,000.
Fastest time
World Junior 800m bronze medallist Anney Nekesa proved her exploits to keep up the pace with Kenyans as she won her second weekend meeting. Nekesa clocked 2:05.2 to beat Lydia Wafula. Sheila Chesang (2:07.0) was third, ahead of Sylvia Cheseba (2:08.6).
Organisers decided to have three heats of 5,000m race with Abraham Kosogor, Dennis Masai and John Mwangangi winning respectively.
Kosongor was credited with the fastest time of 13.49.2 with Soyekwa Kibet second in 13:51.7.
Locals were treated to a new race in 3,000m steeplechase as Lydia Chepkurui won comfortably against little challenge from Regina Cherotich and Veronica Chepkosgei. Chepkurui clocked 10.07.9 ahead of Cherotich 10.12.8.
In the 10,000m race, Elizabeth Rumokol was the winner in 33:501 edging out Fridah Domongole from Mt. Elgon 34:47.6, Hilda Tanui 38:42.5, Anne Wabera 38:46.3 and Olpha Jebichi 42:52.8.
The women’s 1,500m race was won by Regina Jerotich who triumphed in 4:25.3 ahead of Juliet Chekwel 4:26.2.
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