Kipkemoi, Kandie storm boys’ steeplechase final: Athletic Kenyans expected to reap more medals

IAAF WORLD U18 CHAMPIONSHIPS KASARANI STADIUM Kenyan 2000m Steeplechase Leonard Bett and Robert De Villiers(R) of South Africa leed in heat 2 during the IAAF World U18 Championships at Kasarani Stadium on Friday 14/07/17.[Boniface Okendo,Standard]

Duo will be striving to finish in top two positions.

Leonard Kipkemoi easily won the boy’s 2000m steeplechase semi-final two as Cleophas Kandie stormed the finals in the second semi-final won by Ethiopia’s Alemu Kittesa.

Kipkemoi delighted the enthusiastic fans at Kasarani on the third day of the IAAF World Under 18 Championship yesterday clocking 5:46.66. Ethiopia’s Girma Diriba crossed the line in second place in 5:47.86 while Anil Kalayci of Turkey produced a 5:52.64 finish for third place, his new personal best over the distance.

“It was an easy race, you know steeplechase is a Kenyan event, we will do everything to retain the title. We must secure gold and silver, we have the technique to handle the Ethiopians,” said Kipkemoi after his qualification victory.

Kipkemoi is a Form Three student at the Africa Gospel Church sponsored Liloch Secondary School in Kericho Country and holds personal best time of 5:28.52.

At the 9th edition of the championship in Cali, Colombia, 2015, Vincent Kipyegon showed top class to win gold for Kenya in 5:27.58.

In the girls 200m heats, Kenya’s sole representative Mary ‘Kisii Express’ Moraa bowed out of the event after finishing in sixth position in a time of 25.48 in heat one.

Gayane Chiloyan of Armenia was the race winner dipping in 24.64 seconds her season best time. Lima Leticia Maria Lima (24.74) of Brazil was second while Gal Kadmon (24.83) of Israel finished third.

In heat two, Lorraine Martins (23.90) of Brazil won the race while German’s Talea Prepens (23.93) won heat three.

In boys 200m dash round one, Kenya’s Philemon Mopia booked a place in today’s semi-finals by finished third in a new personal best time of 21.79 seconds.

German’y’s Luis Brandner also ran personal best time of 21.23 to storm the semis. Ukraine’s Vasyl Makukh was second in 21.62.

South African Tshenolo Lemao who made history by becoming the first South African to win gold medal boys 100m final in the U-18 championship in the opening day showed his intention of winning yet another medal by qualifying for the semi-finals in a time of 21.27 seconds in heat two.

Meanwhile, Gloria Mulei did Kenya proud by booking a berth into the girl’s triple jump final scheduled for this evening.

The Form Three student at Kwathanze Secondary School in Machakos emerged sixth overall in Group B preliminaries where she made a jump of 12.46 in her first attempt.