Young athletes dazzle at Nyayo: Cyrus Ruto gives good account of himself in 5,000m

Cyrus Ruto celebrates wining men's 10,000m finals during the national trials at Nyayo stadium on June 23, 2017.PHOTO.DENNIS OKEYO

Youngsters prove they are ready to dine with kings and queens.

Kenya's mini 'World Championships' did not disappoint in every department.

Athletes were yet again given the chance to showcase their prowess as they chased tickets to this year's IAAF London World Championship slated for August 4-13, this year.

To the experienced, they did what they have been doing with limited fuss, while for the newcomers, this was another chance of announcing their arrival in Kenya's athletics scene. And they did that with pride and somewhat arrogance.

After the two-day national trials at Nyayo Stadium, it is now down to business for the selected few ahead of the London event.

The emergence of Cyrus Ruto, who produced a near perfect push in men's 5,000m final, silenced his critics yet again almost one year after he was overlooked by selectors during the 2016 Olympic trials in Eldoret. But there was no denying for Ruto this time at Nyayo.

Davis Kiplagat, 19, and a silver medalist in Cali World Youth, is another youngster who made the team in his first appearance in 5,000m senior ranks.

World Junior champion Celliphine Chespol Chepteek, who is in a formidable form that included beating World record holder and Olympic champion Ruth Jebet of Bahrain on her way to win the Eugene Diamond League, also booked her ticket to London in women's 3,000m steeplechase.

The 18-year-old, who is a product of Riruta Central Secondary School, Nairobi, powered to victory in the trials and will join World Championships defending champion Hyvin Kiyeng, Beatrice Chepkoech and Commonwealth Games Purity Cherutich during the August event.

USA-based Emmanuel Korir, 20, caused an upset in men's 800m final with a commanding 1:43.86, the fastest time in Kenya's soil, to beat World Junior champion Kipyegon Bett and Ferguson Rotich.

Korir is studying Kinesiology at the University of Texas at El Paso where he is coached by Paul Ereng, the 1988 Seoul Olympics 800m gold medallist.

Rongai Athletics Club coach Bernard Ouma said, "Kenya has many upcoming new runners and it shows that we have a circle that is going well," said Ouma.

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