Chepngetich, Kipruto shine as World Junior concludes

Faith Chepngetich warmed up for the London Olympics with a superlative display in the 1500m  to ensure Kenya finished second in the medal standings with four Gold medals in the final day of competition at the World Junior championships in Barcelona, Spain.

Conseslus Kipruto had overwhelmingly won the 3000m steeplechase also in a championship record of 8:08.91 to impressively confirm Kenya’s supremacy at the history of the event.

Chepngetich comfortably won the 1500m race on Sunday in 4:04.96 a championship record.

Chepngetich adds World junior title to her collection

Chepngetich completed in style a brilliant hat trick of international medals as her overwhelming victory today comes after last year’s World Youth 1500m gold medal and the World Cross Country Junior medal also managed on the Spanish soil of Punta Umbría, where she ran barefoot.

"When I entered to stadium I saw that Conseslus got the gold medal and Gilbert got the silver medal it gaves me a lot of energy to run,"said Chepngetich who wil race in the 1500m in London.

Ethiopia’s World Youth silver medallist Senberi Teferi made the very early pace but Chepngetich, holder of a 4:03.82WJL coming to Barcelona, unleashed a first change of speed just before the 400m point which was covered in 1:06.86.

The diminutive Kenyan opened a 10-metre margin over the rest of the field in a matter of a few strides but she was soon reeled in by Teferi, her fellow Kenyan Nancy Chepkwemoi and Serbia’s reigning European Junior champion Amela Terzic.

The 800m point was hit in 2:14.99 with Teferi in the lead closely followed by the two Kenyans and Terzic.

The bell marked the decisive movement of the race as Chepngetich opened full gas to break away from her chasers effortlessly. Terzic passed Teferi(4:08.28).

Kipruto impresses in 3000m SC

Taking advantage of an ideal cloudy day for the stamina events – although it was also windy – the World Youth 2000m Steeplechase champion Kipruto took the lead from the gun also joined by his fellow Kenyan Gilbert Kiplangat Kirui, who was the olympics in 8:11.27.