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World champion and women’s 3,000-meter steeplechase world record holder Beatrice Chepkoech achieved a winning final flourish at the opening meeting of the Kip Keino Classic in Nairobi as Kenya marked her return to hosting world-class sports after closing.
On a warm evening at the newly renovated Nyayo National Stadium, Chepkoech delighted a crowd limited to 6,000 due to remaining coronavirus health measures as he took a decisive early lead in the capital’s air for victory over compatriot Hyvin. Kiyeng, the 2015. world champion, in the last of the gold bouts of this season’s World Continental Tour of Athletics.
Chepkoech was seeking redress after losing to Kiyeng in Berlin last month, and made it clear early on that he had no intention of suffering another loss, as he came off hard and effectively stranded his rival after a couple of turns.
The world champion finished 30 meters behind her rival, ticking 9min 29.06sec, with Kiyeng second in 9: 34.07.
The corresponding men’s race was to include Kenyan Olympic and World Champion Conseslus Kipruto, who made his long-awaited debut for the season in Doha after recovering from COVID-19, but was unable to finish in the 1,500m.
Sadly, Kipruto was not at the starting line of a race won by compatriot Abraham Kibiwott in 8: 17.60 from Leonard Bett, who clocked 8: 17.63.
5,000m world champion Hellen Obiri waited until the final 200m before scoring home and clinched the victory in 15: 06.36, ahead of Agnes Tirop.
The 2017 and 2019 10,000m world bronze medalist finished second in 15: 06.71, with Kenya’s Margaret Kipkemboi, world silver medalist behind Obiri in Doha last year, third in 15:11:11.
Kenya’s 1,500m world champion Timothy Cheruyiot, as expected, maintained his unbeaten record of the season by winning his trademark distance in 3: 34.31 from compatriot Taki Kumari, who clocked 3: 35.00.
Ferguson Rotich, fresh off his 800-meter victory in the last Wanda Diamond League meeting on Friday (September 25) in Doha, kept out of a field that included the better-performing Commonwealth champion Wycliffe Kinyamal. personal of 1: 43.12, as he won in 1: 44.78, with Australia’s 22-year-old Joseph Deng showing some of his potential by taking second place in 1: 45.21.
At the beginning of the program, 17-year-old Beatrice Masilingi stood out by winning the women’s 400 meters in a massive personal best of 50.99 seconds.
South African Sinesipho Dambile won the men’s 200m in 20.44 ahead of Ivory Coast favorite Arthur Cisse, who clocked 20.53.
The men’s 5,000 meters were won by Nicholas Kipkorir Kimeli in 13: 08.32 ahead of Berihu Aregawi of Ethiopia, who clocked 13: 08.91.
Bahrain’s Nelly Jepkosgei won the women’s 800m in 2: 02.07, with 2013 Kenyan world champion Eunice Sum second in 2: 03.73.
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