Kosgei stuns Kiptoo to win Prisons Inter Station race

By ERICK OCHIENG’

Timothy Kiptoo celebrates winning a past cross-country race at Uhuru Gardens. [PHOTO:FILE/STANDARD]

Africa Cross Country bronze champion Timothy Kiptoo was beaten to second place in the Nairobi Inter Stations Kenya Prisons Athletics Championships held at Nairobi West Prison grounds at the weekend.

Kiptoo, running for Prisons Staff Training College (PSTC), could not display the same form that saw him break a seven-year 5000m Kenya Prisons record last year when he clocked 14:40.00 to finish behind Kamiti’s Jonathan Kosgei in 14:28.07.

 Kiptoo, the 2011/12 KCB Cross Country jackpot winner, said the loss was a wake-up call for him ahead of  the national championships and that he needs to step up his performance.

Nairobi West Prison put a brave show to top in the team’s category. The Nairobi West Prison warders, who suffered a setback when their houses got burnt down a week ago, put up a spirited fight to clinch the contest’s overall title with 312 points.

 The Officer in Charge of Nairobi West Prison James Mureithi said it was hard to assemble a team when the warders were traumatised by loss of their valuable possessions in the inferno.

Nairobi West amassed 11 gold, nine silver and five bronze medals to carry the day ahead of Kamiti with eight gold, six silver and nine bronze medals.

Nairobi Command completed the last podium finish with 280 points from six gold, seven silver and 13 bronze.

 Peter Mwangi, Harry Langat and Cecilia Maria emerged tops, each securing two titles in the one-day event.

In long jump, Langat of Nairobi Command improved his personal best by leaping to 6.62 metres to better his previous 5.34m in the men’s category which was a warning signal to Kenya Prisons national champion Tera Langat.

Langat’s teammate Wellington Nyakundi also improved his personal best by managing 6.53 metres to be placed second and improve his former mark of 5.34m, which he attained last year.

Langat bagged his second gold in men’s triple jump by managing 14.63 metres ahead of teammates Duncan Pushenee (14.00m) and Josephat Oyunge (12.92m) for Nairobi Command’s clean sweep.

Maria of Nairobi Combined clocked 4:43.03 to secure the women’s 1,500m title before going ahead to win the 800m race at 2:17.9. Nairobi West’s Peter Mwangi won in in shot-put with a 10.53m  throw and hurled the discus 26.35 metres away.