All top runners led four-time 3000m steeplechase champion Ezekiel Kemboi qualified to the finals as Athletics Kenya track and field meeting got underway in Eldoret yesterday.
Kemboi, who opted for 1,500m clocked 3:47.7 to win Heat 2 ahead of Zablon Chumba (3:48.6) and Kennedy Bett (3:52.7), who placed second and third respectively. Geoffrey Ruto won Heat 1 in 3:51.0 followed by Vincent Muya (3:52.6) as Gilbert Kipsang placed third in 3:53.1.
All-Africa Games 800m bronze medallist Job Kinyor shone in Heat in 3 3:44.5 ahead of Antony Kiptoo (3:45.3) and Festus Kipchirchir (3:48.0). World 3000m steeplechase silver medallist Conseslus Kipruto raced junior runner Fredrick Kipkosgei to the tape to win the men 5000m semi-final three.
It was Continental Cup 3,000m SC winner Jairus Birech, who commanded the highly-paced semi-fail but faded off the radar in the sixth lap, leaving Conseslus and Fredrick to battle. Conseslus then out-sprinted Fredrick in the remaining 150m to win the race in 13:47.5 as Fredrick settled for second in 13:48.2. Vincent Letting finished third in 14:02.7.
“I was using the 5,000m race to build up my endurance and the focus now turns on Rio Olympics. Before that, I will participate in the Diamond League Series,” he said. The 2011 Diamond League 1,500m winner Nixon Chepseba won the first semi-final in 14:29.0, beating James Kipsang (14:30.2) and Evans Mayaka (14:40.8) to second and third positions respectively. Emmanuel Kipsang, who was bundled out of the world 5,000m race in Beijing last year in the semis, won semi-final two in 13:55.8 followed by Ambrose Bore (14:04.5) and Fredrick Kipkosgei (14:12.1).
Mark Otieno qualified for the men’s 100m final after winning Heat 1 in 10.5 while Brian Gatura won Heat 2 in 10.2 as Dennis Otieno settled for Heat 3 in 10.3.