Africa junior 800m bronze medallist Wycliffe Kinyamal put smiles on the faces of Kenyan fans yesterday after he won gold at Carrara Stadium in Gold Coast, Australia.
The victory came just hours after Sports Cabinet Secretary Rashid Echesa made a rallying call at the Athletes’ Village for the team deliver the elusive gold medal.
It was a spectacular sight to behold watching Kinyamal, who comes from Poroko Village in Narok County, the home county of 800m world record holder David Rudisha, stage a superlative showing.
It was sweet revenge on the defending champion Botswana’s Nijel Amos, who beat Rudisha in Hampden Park Stadium in Glasgow in 2014.
It was not a bad result for the new 800m sensation, who was a high jumper while a student at Mogonga High School in Kisii County in 2015.
He remained tucked behind Amos and team mate Jonathan Kitilit in the race until the 150m mark when he fired away to victory in 1:45.11.
Kinyamal said: “I participated in high jump while in secondary school. After school, I stayed at home for sometime before my friend Leshan Togom advised me to take up athletics and I heeded his advice. “I started training in early 2016 and made the team to the Africa Junior Championships where I won bronze.
“That motivated me to join Keringet Athletics Training Camp in Nakuru County. I was later relocated to Global Sports Communications camp in Kaptagat,” he said.
He trains alongside three-time world half marathon champion Geoffrey Kamworor, Olympic marathon champion Eliud Kipchoge and Olympic 1,500m champion Faith Chepng’etich.
Kinyamal though said he is yet to meet Rudisha, who he says has inspired him.
“I watch his races. I admire how he runs. He really inspires me,” he said, adding that he will compete at the IAAF Diamond League meeting in Doha next month.
It’s no doubt that Kinyamal never looked outside his rural home for inspiration. He comes from a region with a rich 800m pedigree. They include 1987 World Championships sensation Stephen Ole Marai, two-time world 800m champion Billy Konchella, 2011 World Youth champion Leonard Kosencha among others.
Kitilit said their tactics worked out well.
“When Kimanyal sped away, I kept close check on Nijel Amos. We really wanted to win gold,” said Kitilit, who comes from Torongo in Baringo County.
Meanwhile Africa 400m hurdles bronze medallist Aron Koech and his younger brother Nicholas Bett finished sixth and eighth in 50.02 and 51.00.
