Kenyans win gold, silver and two bronze in African Games

Kenya’s-Luka-Kanda

Alice Aprot won her second medal at the African Games in Brazzaville, Congo on Wednesday night when she led compatriot Gladys Kiptegelai in a 1-2 Kenyan sweep of the women’s 10,000m final at the Olympic Stadium.

The duo proved stronger than world silver medallist Gelete Burka of Ethiopia who settled for bronze just days after playing second fiddle to Vivian Cheruiyot in Beijing’s IAAF World Championships.

Aprot bettered the bronze medal she won on Sunday night in the 5,000m final by clocking 31:34.18 to claim gold. Kiptegelai was second in 31:36.87 while an out-of-steam Burka finished in 31:38.33. Reigning World Cross-Country champion Agnes Jebet will have to wait longer for glory on the tracks after her pursuit of medals at the continental sports jamboree proved elusive. She posted 32:55.41, earning a fifth place finish.

On the same night, Job Kinyor won bronze in the men’s 800m behind winner Nijel Amos of Botswana and Algeria’s ever-green Taoufik Makhloufi. Amos put aside his Beijing woes to win in 1:50.45 followed by Makhloufi who clocked 1:50.72 while Kinyor was third in 1:50.79.

Olympic bronze medallist Timothy Kitum finished just outside the medal bracket followed by compatriot Jackson Kivuva. Kitum timed 1:50.93 for fourth place as Kivuva claimed fifth in 1:50.98. Kenya’s only finalist in the men’s 400m hurdles final William Mutunga finished fourth in a race won by Lahoulou Abdelmalik of Algeria.

Mutunga clocked 49.42 for his fourth place finish behind Rahmani Milouli and Sahaier Mohamed of Tunisia. Priciallah Tabunda’s medal chase in the Heptathlon ended in futility after the Kenya Defence Forces athlete finished eighth with 3,733 points.

The seven discipline sport was won by Nigeria’s Naomi Osazawa who amassed 4,448 points. Road runner Luka Kanda saved Kenya’s face in the half-marathon races staged yesterday morning when he finished second in the men’s 21km.

Kanda was the only Kenyan to win a medal in both race staged last morning. Ethiopians Deska Mamitu and Degefa Worknesh scooped gold and silver in the women’s race with Eritrean Tesfagabr Kokob claiming bronze as Kenya’s representatives in the event Janet Rono and Jane Moraa came in sixth and seventh.

In the men’s equivalent, Tadese Zersenay claimed gold in 1:03:11 followed closely by Kanda who bagged silver in 1:03:27. Tewelde Hizkel also from Eritrea was third in 1:03:39 while Kenya’s other participant in the race, James Rungau finished eighth in 1:05:49.

Source