Chris Musumba
4 June 2011
Nairobi — Commonwealth Games 3,000 metres steeplechase champion Richard Mateelong passed the endurance test when he floored his opponents in the 5,000 metres race at the Kenya Police Athletics Championships at the Nyayo National Stadium on Saturday.
Mateelong, who is eying to win the world title in his water and barriers race speciality, ventured into the longer 12-lap race to test his endurance and emerged with flying colours as he beat rivals Sammy Kitwara and Boston Marathon champion Geoffrey Mutai.
Mateelong’s strong sprinting and wide strides in the last lap was good enough to help him pull away from a fading Cyrus Kipruto as he charged towards the finish line.
He had time to make his traditional salute as he went past the high dais and crossed the line after 13:47.90 with Kipruto second in 13:49.46 while Kitwara won the sprint battle against world’s fastest marathoner Mutai.
Kitwara clocked 13:49.74, beating Mutai to fourth in 13:52.11 while Isaac Songok was fifth in 14:11.48.
“I will return to my speciality in the Diamond League. I wanted to see how my endurance was and win some points for my team,” said Mateelong, who is a senior Police instructor at the Kenya Police Training College in Kiganjo.
In the women’s race, it was Pauline Njeri, representing Vigilance House, the Police headquarters, who surged forward with a lap to go and maintained her distance as she crossed the line in 15:42.4 to win ahead of Joyce Wanjiku from the traffic department (15:45.8).
Monicah Wangari was third in 16.01.7, beating guest athlete Hyvin Kiyeng (16:06.0) and Dorcas Jepchirchir of the dog unit who ran 16:09.5.
However Wangari retuned stronger to claim the gold in the 10,000m women’s race.
With world champion Linet Masai away in Eugene for the Diamond League, Wangari dominated the race from start and showed no signs of fatigue as she won in 33:20:07.
Consolata Chemutai running for Nyanza Province was second in 33:56:08 edging out both Doreen Kitaka (34:04:00) and former Commonwealth Games 10,000m champion Lucy Kabuu (35:36:07).
Both Mateelong and Milcah Chemos, opted to skip their steeplechase speciality with Lydia Rotich picking up the gauntlet in the women’s event to win in 9:51.6 ahead of Jacqueline Chepkok of Nyanza who took 9:59.6 edging out former World Junior champion Christine Muyanga who is making a comeback after a three years struggle with an ankle injury she sustained in a road accident.
Muyanga was timed at 10:01.8 with Consolata Jemutai finishing fourth in 10:04.8. Beatrice Chepkoech 10:41.3 and Flavious Kwamboka 11:58.2 followed in fifth and sixth respectively.
In the men’s race, it was Paul Kimogul showed his prowess as he took the lead after just three laps and held on in spite of his opponents taking turns to try and shake him off the perch.
He clocked 8:38.8 with Philip Yego second in 8:39.1 while Willy Komen was third in 8:39.6. Charles Sigei was fourth in 8:44.1 ahead of Simon Towet 8:50.7 and Collins Ngeno 9:04.1.
Joyce Zakary claimed the 400m race finishing in 53.89 ahead Jacinta Shikanda 56.13 and Ruth Kemunto 56.46 with Juliet Arono fourth in 57.12.
In the 100m hurdles Maryline Chelegat (12.37) emerged triumphant.
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