• Kwamboka led the leading pack from the start until the 10th lap when, alongside Nyambura, broke away.
• Timothy Katam of General Service Unit (GSU) won the men’s 10,000m title, beating NER’s Joseph Kiptum on a photo finish.
Image: CHARLENE MALWA
After clinching the National Police Service 5,000m title, Gladys Kwamboka revealed she will be going for the distance in the 10,000m race on Thursday morning.
Kwamboka torched a quality field to win in 16:05.20 ahead of DCI’s Virginia Nyambura (16:05.83) as General Service Unit’s (GSU) Betty Chepkemoi clocked 16:07.45 to take home the bronze medal during the National Police championships held at Moi Stadium, Kasarani on Wednesday.
“I want to compete in the 10,000m race tomorrow (Thursday) and try to repeat today’s performance. My target is to win the gold medal but if things don’t go well, a podium finish will also be good consolation,” said Kwamboka.
Kwamboka led the leading pack from the start until the 10th lap when, alongside Nyambura, broke away. The two battled to the finish line but Kwamboka was stronger in the sprint.
“Today’s race was so competitive and I had to push myself to the end. The race also proved there is still some work to be done to be where I want to be,” noted Kwamboka.
Kwamboka, who won the fifth Athletics Kenya track and field meeting in Kisii in April said she believes she has what it takes to represent the country at the World Championships in Budapest, Hungary later in the year.
After the Police championships, Kwamboka said focus will shift to the national championships and trials.
The Police runner said she is being inspired by world champion Hellen Obiri, whom she wants to emulate in her quest to dominate the 5,000m and 10,000m races at both the world championships and Olympic Games.
“I am inspired by Obiri and my target is to do what she has done over the years. I want to be a multiple world champion. All I want is to continue the legacy Obiri has left, especially in the 5,000m,” said Kwamboka.
Nyambura conceded defeat saying: “I race in the steeplechase but due to a hip injury I decided to race in the 5,000m. I am so delighted with a second-place finish since, being a steeplechaser, I did not expect to even get on the podium.”
Timothy Katam of General Service Unit (GSU) won the men’s 10,000m title, beating NER’s Joseph Kiptum on a photo finish. Katam clocked 28:56.27 a second better of Kiptum. Rapid Development Unit’s (RDU) completed the podium positions in 29:00.44.
Kiptum, an East Africa games cross country silver medalist, was delighted with a second-place finish but insisted he needs to lower his personal best in the hunt for qualification to the world championships.
“I am so happy with the results today but I need to work harder to improve on my time. I am targeting sub-27 at the national championships. Position two came as a surprise. I was hoping for a top-five finish,” Kiptum said.
“The weather today is similar to what we experience at my training base in Iten. I think that is the reason why I didn’t struggle much.”
Elsewhere, Remmy Moyancha hit 46.99m to win the men’s hammer throw. Gilbert Koech (44.76m) won silver while David Terer (41.20m) bagged bronze.
World Indoor 1,500m bronze medallist Abel Kipsang will headline a quality line up in Thursday’s final after dominating his semifinal. He will compete alongside 2017 world champion over the distance, Elijah Manangoi, who won the other semifinal.
Kipsang will also be targeting a middle-distance double as he also eyes the 800m title.
Commonwealth Games 800m Mary Moraa will also be going for a brace as she targets 400m and 800m titles.
Maximila Imani and Monica Safaniah will go head-to-head in the women’s 100m and 200m finals after winning their respective heats.
5,000m silver medalist Nyambura will headline a list of 14 athletes in the 1,500m, hoping to wipe the disappointment of falling to Kwamboka in the 12 and a half laps race.