Kenya won gold and silver to move to seventh place at the ongoing Youth Commonwealth Games in Apia, Samoa at the weekend.
Team Kenya captain Kumari Taki (pictured) led from the front not only to win gold but also to set a new record in the men’s 1,500m race, which he finished in 3:38:80 in Samoa on Sunday night.
Taki was closely followed in the hotly contested race by another Kenyan, Lawi Kosgei, who bagged silver after producing his season personal best time of 3:40:77.
“It was one of the toughest races in these games but I am happy to emerge victorious. I was able to keep my form top notch even after emerging victorious in the Africa Junior Championship in Cali (Colombia) several weeks ago, currently I am enjoying top form,” said Taki.
But Kenya was unfortunate in the last race of the day, the men’s 4x400m relay which saw the country stripped of gold on technical grounds.
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“The duo of Taki and Kosgei teamed up with 800m specialists Bett Kipyegon and Willy Tarbei to beat Jamaica in the hotly contested 4x400m relay to win gold but the victory was however short lived as they were disqualified on a technicality,” noted National Olympics Committee of Kenya (Noc-K) representative Ann Njambi Nganga.
In the women’s 1500m, favourite Joyline Cherotich could only manage a fourth place finish after being overpowered by an Australian and Ugandan athletes.
Kenya is represented by only seven athletes in this year’s Youth Commonwealth Games.
Other disciplines including rugby, boxing, swimming, weightlifting among others did not send representatives to the Games due to lack of funds.
