HISTORY: Hellen Obiri wins Kenya second gold medal in Women’s Senior Race

 

Hellen Obiri wins second gold for Kenya [Courtesy]

Kenya’s Hellen Obiri becomes the first woman to win outdoors, indoors, and cross-country world individual titles at a senior level after she won the women’s senior race at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships in Aarhus Denmark.

Obiri who was on her debut at the cross country event became the first woman to win outdoors (5,000m), indoors (3,000m), and cross-country (10km) titles.

The Kenyan led the race from start to finish beating Ethiopian duo Dera Dida and Gidey Letesenbet to claim gold while Dida settled for silver.

"This is the only medal I didn't have and I am happy to claim it in style, I led from the start but I was not in a hurry considering the tough course. I wanted to break midway but I couldn't shake off my rivals. I knew the Ethiopians were tough on the hills hence I kept them close until the last hill before I broke," Said Obiri.

Uganda's Joshua Cheptegei put behind the 2017 heartbreak in Kampala to win the World Cross Country Championships men's 10km title from Kenya's Geoffrey Kamworor.

2019 IAAF World Cross Country Championships - Aarhus, Denmark - March 30, 2019 Uganda's Joshua Cheptegei poses with the winners medal after winning the men's race with second placed Jacob Kiplimo and third placed Kenya's Geoffrey Kamworor. [Reuters]

In another race, Beatrice Chebet snatched gold in Aarhus Denmark after winning an appeal following a photo finish with the Ethiopian duo of Tsigie Gebresalama and Alemitu Tariku.

Beatrice Chebet (centre) cuts the tape first to win the junior 6km race in the 2019 World Cross Championships in Aarhus, Denmark on March 30, 2019. [IAAF]

In the Mixed Relay, Fantu Worku delivered a crushing victory for Ethiopia in the first event of 2019 World Cross Country Championships.

Worku produced a stunning acceleration in the final lap to peel away from her Kenyan challenger Winfred Mbithe who ended up finishing third behind Moroccan Rababe Arafi.

Fantu Worku anchors Ethiopia to gold in the mixed relay at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships Aarhus 2019. [Courtesy]

Team Kenya which took part in the just concluded World Cross Country Championships in Denmark jetted back into the Country on Monday [1/04/2019].

The team finished second behind Ethiopia with 8 medals, 2 Gold, 3 Silver and 3 Bronze.

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