TARUS, WAIGANJO STAR AT NYAYO: David takes 10,000m title, Caroline claims top honours in 100m hurdles as Kenya Prisons athletics start

Caroline Waiganjo clears the hurdles in the women's 100m hurdles finals during the National Prisons Championship at Nyayo Stadium on June 19, 2015.PHOTO/DENNIS OKEYO/STANDARD

David Tarus and Caroline Waiganjo were in imperious form as they won in their specialties in day one of the Kenya Prisons athletics championships at Nyayo Stadium yesterday.

Representing Nyanza in men’s 10,000m, Tarus hit top gear with 200m left, to win in 28:10.5. IAAF World cross country junior silver Geoffrey Korir, who kept on exchanging the lead with Tarus, was second in 28:12.7. Wilson Kiprotich, finished third in 28:13.0.

In women’s 100m hurdles, Caroline Waiganjo won the race after veteran hurdler Florence Wasike was disqualified after a false start.

Waiganjo, who also won the long-jump competition, has in the last three years, dominated at the nationals. Running as a guest yesterday, Waiganjo won in 14.5, Ivine Chepkemoi was second in 16.1, while Jerioth Gathogo finished third in a time of 16.4.

Tarus, second in the 2014 Singapore Standard Chartered, was at the tail end of a three-man leading pack at the bell, but his experience proved crucial as he broke the tape ahead of his competitors.

“I just opted to run behind the leading group. They are new and did not seem to know much about me, which worked to my advantage,” said Tarus, winner of the inaugural Green Half Marathon in Thika in April, said.

Among the casualties in the biting-cold Nairobi weather were former world marathon champion (Osaka 2007) Luke Kibet and Paris Marathon champion, Mark Korir. Korir did not finish the race, saying; “The body could not respond well and I felt a twitch in my abdomen and decided to pull out.

“I will train more since I am already in the preliminary marathon team to the World Championships in Beijing in August,” added the lanky marathoner.

Kibet, who was making his first competitive appearance since he returned from a nagging tendon injury in November, said he was coming to check his fitness.

“I have had a problem with injury for long and trained for just three weeks ahead of this championship and I am happy I finished. I will run a half marathon in Beijing in a month’s time,” added 33-year-old Kibet, who trains in Iten alongside Sammy Kitwara and Wilson Chebet.

In the women’s 1500m finals, former 800m Africa junior champion Lydia Wafula won ahead of Cecilia Maria in a time of 2:21.0. Maria (4:22.2) was second, while Tabitha Wambui clocked 2:27.6 for third position.

Action continues today at the same venue.