Antony Kiptoo wins another gold for Kenya at Africa meet

Africa Juniors
5,000m finals men during the National Junior trials at Nyayo Stadium on 18-02-2015. PHOTO/DENNIS OKEYO

Antony Kiptoo and All Africa Youth Games 1,500m silver medalist Gilbert Kwemoi struck medals for Kenya at the 12th Africa Junior Athletics Championships in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on Friday night.

Just like Olympic and world marathon champion Stephen Kiprotich, newcomer Joshua Cheptegei staged yet another ‘pick-pocket mission’ for Uganda against Kenyans to sneak away with the men’s 10,000m crown at the Addis Ababa Stadium.

It was not long before Ethiopia and Uganda staged a coup in women’s 800m final, locking Kenyans out of the medal bracket. But it was particularly sweet victory for Kiptoo (3:43.98) and Kwemoi (3:44.59), who proved to the surging Ethiopians and Ugandans their mettle to win gold and silver medals in 1,500m in a night of high drama.

Ethiopia’s Regasa Ketema Chala (3:44.92) and Demoz Ayele Bekele (3:45.50) followed as Djibouti’s Abdiwaiss Mouhyanin (3:47.07) finished fifth.

It was once again a bad night for women’s 800m charges when Ethiopia’s Shumi Regasa Chaltu (2:09.20) and Tola Nagaho Kore (2:09.61) wore gold and silver crowns as Uganda’s Susan Aneno (2:11.73) settled for bronze.

JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIPS

Kenyans Betty Chepkemoi (2:14.66) and Eglay Nafuma Nalyanya (2:18.72) returned fifth and sixth as Esther Chebet (2:22.70) of Uganda followed.

In the men’s front, Botswana’s Sibanda Karabo (46.33) won gold in 400m ahead of Kenya’s Alex Sampao (46.54), who finished fourth at the IAAF World Junior Championships in Eugene, Oregon, last year.

Sampao, an alumnus of Kirobon Secondary School in Nakuru County, said: “I became disappointed when I was placed in lane eight despite posting good time in the qualifying rounds.

If I was placed in lane two or three, I could have won the gold medal. Anyway, my day will come.” Joshua Cheptegei (29:58.70) carried the 10,000m crown ahead of Davis Kiplang’at (29:59.32), a Form Four Student at Kiptome Secondary School in Kericho County. Ethiopians Nega Fekansa Gurmessa and Alemne Alem followed.