2017 IAAF World Championships: Kenya finishes second in the world

• South Africa finished third with six medals
• The US topped the medal standings with 30 medals - 10 gold, 11 silver and nine bronze

But a dismal performance in races Kenyans have dominated for years is reason to worry.

It was meant to be a better ending for Kenya in the 2017 IAAF World Championships, but a second-place finish will suffice.

In the 2015 Championships in Beijing, it was the Kenyans calling the shots after emerging tops in the world event, but they played second fiddle to the US in the 10-day event in London.

With 11 medals (five gold, two silver and four bronze) to show for it, the Kenyan athletes also had a chance to redeem the national pride in distance running.

Elijah Manangoi and Hellen Obiri’s golden moments in the 1,500m and 5,000m respectively on Sunday night capped what was a roller-coaster 10 days for Kenyans.

“I was telling myself to go. I could see Ayana was about to sprint, so I thought, ‘Why not?’ and I decided to make the move. I am mentally strong and I knew I was capable of victory,” said Obiri.

The US topped the medal standings with 30 medals - 10 gold, 11 silver and nine bronze.

South Africa finished third with six medals, France were fourth with five, while China, with seven, were fifth at the end of the 18th edition of the World Championships.

Geoffrey Kirui was the first to open Kenya’s medal count, winning gold on his World Championships debut. After playing the bridesmaid twice to his compatriot Ezekiel Kemboi in the 3,000m steeplechase, Conseslus Kipruto followed his Rio Olympics gold with a world title.

Obiri, the fastest woman in the 5,000m this season, capped her tremendous season with a world title after deciding the unending Kenya versus Ethiopia contest.

Faith Chepng’etich’s brilliant display in the 1,500m final won the country’s first women’s title in the championships’ history.

Pushed by a no-show in last year’s Rio Olympics final through injury, Manangoi overcame the disappointment to triumph in Sunday’s 1,500m final. This was Kenya’s fourth consecutive title. Asbel Kiprop, who had won three previous titles, finished ninth.

However, Kenya produced some relatively dismal shows in events they have previously dominated. They lost the women’s steeplechase gold and silver to the US duo of Emma Coburn and Courtney Frerichs.

Slipping away

At the same time, the men’s 5,000m event is fast slipping away from Kenya, which is yet to win another title since Benjamin Limo’s gold medal at the 2005 World Championships in Helsinki.

There were also some fresh faces in London, including Cyrus Rutto, Davis Kiplagat and Japheth Menjo. In the end, only Rutto made it to the final, where he finished a distance 13th.

Team Kenya arrives back home at 5am today.