Commonwealth Games: Kenya Men and women team fail to impress as focus shifts to Birmingham

Athletes compete during the athletics women's marathon final during the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games at the Southport Broadwater Parklands venue on the Gold Coast on April 15, 2018. / AFP PHOTO

Marathon caps dismal show at the Commonwealth Games with a return of four gold, seven silver and six bronze medals representing a new low at the event.

The Commonwealth Games is no longer the ‘Friendly’ Games given the stiff competition — where in distance running, it’s billed a mini-world championships minus Ethiopians.

Kenya finished a lowly 14th as the 21st Commonwealth Games ended in Gold Coast, Australia, yesterday.

The 165-member squad bagged 17 medals (four gold, seven silver and six bronze), where hosts topped the standings with 196 medals (80 gold, 57 silver and 59 bronze).

Kenya were comprehensively beaten in the men and women marathon event yesterday to cap a dismal showing in Australia.

Homeboy and men’s defending champion Michael Shelley won the race in 2:16.46 ahead of Uganda’s Solomon Mutai (2:19.02) and Robbie Simpson (2:19.36) of Scotland.

Kenyans Julius Karinga (2:24.26) and Kenneth Mungara (2:25.42) finished ninth and tenth

 In women’s race, Namibia’s Helalla Jonannes (2:32.40) and Australians Lisa Weightman (2:33.23) and Jessica Trengove (2:34.09) swept the podium.

Kenya’s Shella Jerotich (2:36.19) finished fourth while Shelmith Muriuki 2:47.53) returned tenth. Hellen Nzembi did not finish the race.

At the 20th Commonwealth Games in Glasgow Scotland in 2014, Kenya finished in ninth place with 24 medals nine of them gold, ten silver and five bronze in 21 sports disciplines.