Posted on August 30th, 2010 by Mark Ouma
Kenyan Cyrus Njue had a victorious start to his marathon career winning the race in Hokkaido Japan on Sunday (29 August).
What’s more Njue’s winning time of 2 hours 11 minutes and 22 seconds (2:11:22) is the second fastest time ever run on the course. Ethiopia’s Ambesse Tolossa set the course record of 2:10.13 in 1998.
Fellow Kenyan Harun Njororge was a distant second in 2:13.04. While Mekubo Mogusu was a third in 2:16.38. Japan’s Yumiko Hara (2:34.12) carried the day in the women’s contest.
LEADING RESULTS
MEN
1 Cyrus Njui (Kenya) 2:11:22; 2 Harun Njoroge (Kenya) 2:13:04; 3 Mekubo Mogusu (Kenya) 2:16:38;4 Masaru Takamizawa (Japan) 2:18:17; 5 Tetsuo Nishimura (Japan) 2:18:31
WOMEN
1 Yumiko Hara (Japan) 2:34:12; 2 Hiroko Miyauchi (Japan) 2:35:42; 3 Mizuho Nasukawa (Japan) 2:36:07; 4 Chinami Fukaminato (Japan) 2:40:28; 5 Ikuyo Yamashita (Japan) 2:41:19
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Filed under: 1, Marathon
Posted on August 30th, 2010 by Mark Ouma
Ethiopia’s Almaz Eba Ayana set a women’s World Junior 3000m steepelchase record at the IAAF Diamond league in brussels on Frioday (27 August).
Ethiopian teenager Almaz Eba Ayana set a women’s World Junior 3000m steeplechase record at the inaugural IAAF Diamond League finale in Brussels Belgium on Friday night (27 August).
A silver medallist at the Africa Junior Championships Ayana (18) covered the distance in 9 minutes and 22.51 seconds (9:22.51). This improves Ruth Bisibori Nyagau’s mark 9:24.51 established in Daegu South Korea on 03 October 2007. Ayana’s previous best was 9:3912 at the Diamond league meet in London on 14 August.
In Brussels Ayana was placed this behind Sofia Assefa (Ethiopia) and Kenyan Milcah Chemos Cheiywa. After trying all season without success, Assefa finally got the better of her Kenyan rival covering the distance in 9:20.72 to Cheiywa’s 9:22.34.
At the end of the meet Kenyan’s David Rudisha, Janeth Kepkosgei, Asbel Kiprop, Milcah Chemos Cheiywa and Vivian Cheruiyot were each crowned winners of their respective 14 leg Diamond league events.
SELECTED AFRICA RESULTS
Note
AJR denotes Africa Junior Record
WJR denotes World Junior Record
PB denotes Personal best
MEN
800m
1 David Lekuta Rudisha (Kenya) 1:43.50; 2 Abubaker Khamis Kaki (Sudan) 1:43.84; 3 Boaz Lalang (Kenya) 1:44.29; 5 Jackson Mumbwa Kivuva (Kenya) 1:45.62; 6 David Mutinda Mutua (Kenya) 1:45.90 PB
1500m 1 Asbel Kiprop (Kenya) 3:32.18; 3 Augustine Kiprono Choge (Kenya) 3:32.88; 4 Mekonnen Gebremedhin (Ethiopia) 3:33.40; 6 Daniel Kipchirchir Komen (Kenya) 3:34.03; 9 Nixon Chepseba (Kenya) 3:36.14; 10 Abdelaati Iguider (Morocco) 3:36.73 15 Ismael Kipnegtich Kombich (Kenya) 3:40.98
3000m Steeplechase
2 Paul Kipsiele Koech (Kenya) 8:07.66; 3 Roba Gary (Ethiopia) 8:13.15; 5 Albert Kiptoo Yator (Kenya) 8:23.69 PB; 9 Patrick Kipyegon Terer (Kenya) 8:28.20; 11 Simon Ayeko (Uganda) 8:38.84
WOMEN
800m
1 Janeth Jepkosgei (Kenya) 1:58.82; 3 Caster Semenya (South Africa) 1:59.65
3000m Steeplechase
1 Sofia Asefa (Ethiopia) 9:20.72; 2 Milcah Chemos Cheiywa (Kenya) 9:22.34; 3 Almaz Ayana (Ethiopia) 9:22.51 PB/WJR; 4 Mekdes Bekele (Ethiopia) 9:24.17; 6 Lydia Jebet Rotich (Kenya) 9:29.24; 8 Birtukan Adamu (Ethiopia) 9 45.06
5000m
1 Vivian Cheruiyot (Kenya) 14:34.13; 2 Linet Chepkwemoi Masai (Kenya) 14:35.07; 3 Sentayehu Ejigu (Ethiopia) 14:35.13; 5 Sally Kipyego (Kenya) 14:38.64; 7 Sylvia Chibiwott Kibet (Kenya) 14:39.80;8 Ines Chenonges (Kenya( Kenya) 14:43.14; 9 Meselech Melkamu (Ethiopia) 14:44.26; 12 Mercy Cherono (Kenya) 14:58.88; 13 Esther Chemtai (Kenya) 14:59.75
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Filed under: IAAF Diamond League
Posted on August 27th, 2010 by Mark Ouma
African’s set to steal the lime light at the inaugural IAAF Diamond League finale in the Belgian capital Brussels. From left David Rudisha (Kenya), Abukaker Kaki (Sudan), Meselech Melkamu (Ethiopia) and Milcah Chemos Cheiywa (Kenya).
An epic 800m duel between David Lekuta Rudisha and Sudan’s Abubaker Khamis Kaki is set to be the draw card at the final leg of the inaugural IAAF Diamond League in Brussels Belgium today Friday (27 August).
Fresh from his 1:41.09 world record in Berlin Germany last weekend, Rudisha is the pre-race favourite. He narrowly edged Kaki in their only head to head meet this year at the Diamond League in Oslo in June. Rudisha won in 1:42.04 to Kaki’s 1:42.33.
Kaki is a two time world Indoor Champions and like Rudisha is an aggressive front runner who’s ability to upstage his Kenyan rivals should not be dismissed outright. In their head to head encounters Kaki has a 5-2 edge over Rudisha.
Kenyan Sammy Tangui, Rudisha favoured pace maker in is the line up so expect a fierce race upfront. The battle for the third spots is likely to evolve around Kenyans Boaz Kiplagat Lalang the world indoor championships silver medallists and Jackson Mumbwa Kivuva the Africa championships bronze medallists together with Poland’s Marcin Lewandowski.
Women’s 5000m
An international meet this big is incomplete without an Ethiopia-Kenya showdown. The women’s 5000m stands out as the likely thriller.
Ethiopia’s Sentayehu Ejigu head the league standing with 13 point and Vivian Cheruiyot has 10 points. Tonight it is about time and the prospect of double points: eight for the winner, four for the runner up, and two for the third athlete across the finish line.
Although Cheruiyot (14:27.41) has the faster time this season compared to Ejigu (14:28.38), nothing is certain about the race outcome. The field includes Ethiopian-born Olympic silver medallist Elvan Abeylegesse (14:31.52), Ethiopians Meselech Melkamu (14:31.91) and Alemitu Bekele (14:42.62), together with Kenyan world 1000m champion Linet Chepkwemoi Masai (14:31.14). Clearly one cannot predict who will carry the day.
Women’s 800m
Perhaps the most wide open race tonight is the women’s 800m where Kenyan Janeth Jepkosgei (1:57.84) leads the log with nine points. Alysia Johnson of the United States (1:57.34) and Russian Mariya Savinova (1:57.56) are tied on eight points. Morocco’s Halima Haclef (1:58.40) has six points. The British pair Jennifer Meadows (1:58.89) and Jemma Simpson (1:5874) are tied on three points. South Africa’s world champions Caster Semenya (1:59.90) has been added to the line up.
Men’s 1500m
The battle for the league 1500m title is between two Kenyans the Olympic champion Asbel Kiprop (3:32.22) who has 14 points three more than the faster Augustine Kiprono Choge (3:30.22). The field also includes other Kenyans Daniel Kipchirchir Komen (3:32.16), Ismael Kipnegtich Kombich (3:33.31), and Nixon Chepseba (3:33.99) along with Ethiopia’s Mekkonen Gebremedhin (3:31.57). Spain’s Arturo Casado (3:32.70) is perhaps the only outsider who could spoil the East African party.
Women’s 3000m steeplechase
Kenya’s Milcah Chemos Cheiywa (9:11.71) has been so dominant in the women’s 3000m steeplechase, amassing an unassailable 25 points. Her compatriot Lydia Jebet Rotich (9:18.03) seeks to hold off Ethiopia’s Sofia Assefa (9:22.09) to secure second place.
Some fans worry about the windy and or rainy conditions dampening the day’s proceedings. But with the 40,000 US dollar prize money and a four carat diamond trophy up for grabs, who says the athletes will not give their finest performance.
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Filed under: IAAF Diamond League
Posted on August 24th, 2010 by Mark Ouma
Kenyans dominated the 2000m steeplechase with career best performances on final day of the track and field contest in the Bishan Stadium at the inaugural Youth Olympic Games in Singapore.
Peter Matheka Mutuku won the boys event in 5 minutes and 37.63 seconds (5:37.63). Ethiopia’s Habtamu Fayisa was runner up while third placed Zakaria Kiprotich handed Uganda their first medal of the Games.
Virginia Nyambura carried the day inthe girls contest completing the distance in 6 minutes and 29.97 seconds (6:29.97). Ethiopia’s Tsehynesh Tsenga followed.
Ethiopia bagged another gold medal when Tizita Bogale Ashame won the girls 1000m in a personal best of 2 minutes and 43.24 seconds (2:43.24) as Kenya’s Damaris Muthee claiming the bronze medal. Another Kenyan William Mbevi Mutunga needed a personal best of 51.23 seconds in the boy’s 400m hurdles to earn a bronze medal.
Later on the combined efforts of Nigerians Josephine Omaka, Florence Nkiriku Nwakwe, and Bukola Abogunloko along with South African Izelle Neuhoff handed Africa a silver medal in the girls medley relay.
Ethiopia topped the Africa medal table in the athletics competition with two gold, three silver, and one bronze medal. Kenya are second followed by Nigeria. Eritrean and South Africa are joint fourth as Morocco and Uganda share the sixth spot
SELECTED AFRICAN ATHLETICS RESULTS AT THE YOUTH OLYMPIC GAMES
Note
Only events that have been concluded are indicated below (no heats)
PB denotes Personal best
NM denotes No Measurement
DNF denotes Did Not Finish
DISQ denotes Disqualified
BOYS
100m
6 Samuel Tinashe Mutanga (Zimbabwe) 10.72
200m (+0.4)
6 Jonathan Okeudo Nmaji (Nigeria) 21.52
400m
2 Ruan Greyling (South Africa) 47.22 PB; 3 Alfas Kishoyan (Kenya) 47.24 PB; 4 Sadam Elnour (Sudan) 47.32
400m Hurdles
3 William Mbevi Mutunga (Kenya) 51.23 PB
1000m
1 Mohammed Geleto (Ethiopia) 2:19.54 PB; 4 Chuchu Jorjo (Eritrea) 2:22.00; 6 Ahmed Mansour (Egypt) 2:24.22; 9 Elnazer Abelrahman (Sudan) 2:29.79; Abdelhadi Labali (Morocco) Disq
2000m Steeplchase
1 Peter Matheka Mutuku (Kenya) 5:37.63 PB; 2 Habtamu Fayisa (Ethiopia) 5:39.10; 3 Zakaria Kiprotich (Uganda) 5:41.25 PB; 4 Bilal Tabti (Algeria) 5:44.34 PB; Yousif Daifalla (Sudan) 5:45.84; 7 Salem Attiatalla (Egypt) 5:49.03
3000m
1 Abrar Osman (Eritrea) 8:07.24; 2 Fekru Jebesa (Ethiopia) 8:08.53; Hicham Sigueni (Morocco) 8:08.55 PB; 5 Harry Mulenga (Zimbabwe) 8:11.26 PB; 6 Kopiro Mwita Marwa (Tanzanina) 8:11.37; 7 Alex Cherop (Uganda) 8:13.11; 8 Pontien Ntawuyirushintege (Rwanda) 8:14.59; Josphat Kiprop Kiptis (Kenya) Disq
10000m Race Walk
6 Tewfik Yesref (Algeria) 45:38:46 PB
Long Jump
3 Rudolph Pienaar (South Africa) 7.53 (+1.4) PB
Triple Jump
7 Darren Marty Loic Paul (Mauritius) 14.89 (+0.2); 8 Atsu Nyamadi (Ghana) 14.51 (-0.3)
Javelin
4 Dylan Jacobs (South Africa) 72.33 PB; 7 Fadi Ibrahim (Egypt) 70.89 PB
Discus
1 Jacques du Plessis (South Africa) 63.94 PB
Shot Put
Frans Schutte (South Africa) NM
Hammer
6 Eslam Ibrahim (Egypt) 63.75
Medley Relay (100m, 200m, 300m, 400m)
4 AFRICA: Samuel Tinashe Mutanga (Zimbabwe); Jonathan Okeudo Nmaji (Nigeria); Alfas Kishoyan (Kenya); Ruan Greyling (South Africa) 1:53.45
GIRLS
100m (+0.2)
1 Josephine Omaka (Nigeria) 11.58;
200m (+0.7)
1 Florence Nkiruka Nwakwe (Nigeria) 23.46 PB
400m
3 Bukola Abogunloko (Nigeria) 53.47; 8 Izelle Neuhoff (South Africa) 56.27
1000m
1Tizita Bogale Ashame (Ethiopia) 2:43.24 PB; 3 Damaris Muthee (Kenya) 2:45.42 PB; 8 Thato Makhafola (South Africa) 2:52.65
2000m Steeplchase
1 Virginia Nyambura (Kenya) 6:29.97 PB; Tsehynesh Tsenga (Ethiopia) 6:37.81; Nour Sioud (Tunisia) DNF
3000m
1 Gladys Chesire (Kenya) 9:13.58 PB; 3 Samrawit Mengisteab (Eritrea) 9:33.53; 7 Sithulisiwe Zhou (Zimbabwe) 9:53.88; 8 Ndapandula Nghinaunye (Namibia) 10:08.62
Long Jump
8 Maryke Brits (South Africa) 5.71 (+0.3)
High Jump
8 Basant Ibrahim (Egypt) 1.70
Discus
4 Simone Meyer (South Africa) 46.62
Shot Put
7 Leticia Nkechi Chime (Nigeria) 14.16 PB
Medley Relay (100m, 200m, 300m, 400m)
2 AFRICA: Josephine Omaka (Nigeria), Florence Nkiriku Nwakwe (Nigeria); Izelle neuhoff (South Africa); Bukola Abogunloko (Nigeria) 2:06.19
FINAL ATHLETICS MEDAL TABLE AT YOUTH oLYMPIC GAMES
COUNTRY GOLD SILVER BRONZE
Ethiopia 2 3 1
Kenya 2 0 3
Nigeria 2 0 0
Eritrea 1 1 1
South Africa 1 1 1
Morocco 0 0 1
Uganda 0 0 1
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Filed under: World Youth Games
Posted on August 23rd, 2010 by Mark Ouma
David Lekuta Rudisha (1794) and Alfred Kirwa Yego (1743) after takinig a 1-2 lead in their semi final at the recent African Senior Athletics Championships (28 July-01 August) in Nairobi Kenya. Rudisha next competition after the Africa Senior Championships was when he set the World record (1:41.09) in berlin germany on Sunday (22 August).
Kenyan David Lekuta Rudisha is the new World 800m record holder.*
The 21 year old former World and Africa Junior champion covered the two lap race in 1:41.09 at the ISTAF World Challenge meet in the German capital Berlin on Sunday (22 August).
This is 0.02 seconds faster than the previous mark set by Kenyan-born Wilson Kipketer of Denmark in Cologne, Germany on record 24 August 1997.
Ethiopia’s Tariku Bekele prevailed in the 3000m with a lifetime best of 7 minutes and 28.99 seconds. This is also the world’s fastest time at this distance this year. Kenya’s youthful Silas Kiplagat and South African Caster Semenya were victorious in the men’s 1500m and women’s 800m respectively.
*A separate feature/article on David Rudisha follows shortly.
SELECTED RESULTS
NOTE
WR denotes World Record
AFR denotes Africa record
PB denotes Personal Best
MEN
800m
1 David Lekuta Rudisha (Kenya) 1:41.09 AFR/WR; 2 Boaz Kiplagat Lalang (Kenya) 1:44.34; 3 Abraham Kiplagat (Kenya) 1:44.49; 5 Jackson Mumbwa Kivuva (Kenya) 1:44.91; 8 Davis Mutinda Mutua (Kenya) 1:45.97; 9 Alfred Kirwa Yego (Kenya) 1:46.84
1500.
1Silas Kiplagat (Kenya) 3:30.61; 2 Mekonnen Gebremedhin (Ethiopia) 3:31.57; 3 Augustine Kiprono Choge (Kenya) 3:31.81; 5 Geoffrey Kipkoech Rono (Kenya) 3:32.82; 6 Ismael Kipnegetich Kombich (Kenya) 3:34.29; 11 Collins Cheboi (Kenya) 3:37.43; 13 Peter van der Westhuizen (South Africa) 3:44.06
3000m
1Tariku Bekele (Ethiopia) 7.28.99 PB; 2 Vincent Kiprop Chepkok (Kenya) 7:31.41; 3 Edwin Cheruiyot Soi (Kenya) 7:33.21; 4 John Kipkoech (Kenya) 7:33.85; 5 Thomas Pkemei Longisiwa (Kenya) 7:33.89; 6 Jacob Korir Chesari (Kenya) 7:34.71; 8 David Kiprotich Bett (Kenya) 7:37.51; 9 Suleiman Kipses Smotwo (Kenya) 7:40.26; 10 Yusuf Kibet Biwott (Kenya) 7:43.66; 11 Isaac Kiprono Songok ( Kenya) 7:45.12
WOMEN
100m (+0.4)
1 Blessing Okagbare (Nigeria) 11.27
800m
1 Caster Semenya (South Africa) 1:59.90; 2 Cherono Koech (Kenya) 2:00.40 PB; 7 Eunice Sum (Kenya) 2:00.79
Javelin
4 Sunette Viljoen (South Africa) 60.66
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Filed under: IAAF Challenge 2010
