• African Games underway.
Image: CHRIS MBAISI
Kenya’s Benjamin Kigen gave Kenya its first gold medal in the men’s 3000m steeplechase as the African Games program got underway today in Rabat.
Kigen clocked 8:12.39 to win the race ahead of Ethiopia’s Getnet Wale timed at 8:14.06 as Moroccan completed the podium positions in 8:19.45.
Kigen was alone ranger in the final two laps of the race as world and Olympic champion Conseslus Kipruto was forced to drop out with a hip injury. Another Kenyan Joash Kiplimo also dropped out earlier in the race after being tripped, leaving Kenyans with their hands on their head.In an interview, Kigen said he didn’t even know that Kipruto had pulled out.
“ I wanted to prove to the world that steeplechase was about Kenya not individuals and the fact that Kipruto was injured did not stop us from deliver gold,” he said.
He admitted that they had talked with Kipruto and he knew he was not in his best shape.
He told me not to look and him but instead focus on victory and that is exactly what I did.
In the women's 400m, Mary Moraa shook off a challenge from Uganda's Shida Leni to qualify for the second round.
She clocked 52.31 to top the heat while Leni returned 53.31. Linda Kageha placed third in Heat 4 to qualify for the next round after being timed at 54.12 in a race won by Namibia's Beatrice Masilingi.
It was the end of the road in Round 1 for Kenya's Hellen Syumbua who placed seventh in Heat 2 timed at 58.83. Botswana's Moroko Galefele clocked 52.70 to win the heat with Uganda's Stella Akullu second in 54.99.
In the men's 400m Alphas Kishioyan clocked 46.46 in Heat 1 to qualify for round two alongside Botswana's Ditiro Nzamani who won the head and third placed Joseph Orukpe who finished third in 46.94.