KIPYEGON COMPLETES THE DOUBLE
A double gold exploits for two time 1,500 Olympics Champion Faith Kipyegon in the 5,000m women final, at World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary on Saturday, August 26,2023.
Kipyegon added the 5000m title to the one she won over 1500m earlier in the week, in 14 minutes 53.88 seconds.
She was put under pressure in the closing stages as Sifan Hassan and Gudaf Tsegay kicked hard, but Kipyegon held on to win as Hassan took silver in 14:54.11 and Beatrice Chebet earned a bronze medal in 14:54.33. Margaret Kipkemboi made it three Kenyans in the top four, finishing just outside of the medals in 14:56.62.
A SILVER FOR WANYONYI
Former World under 20 Athletics Championships winner Emmanuel Wanyonyi had an incredible achievement after scooping a silver in the men’s 800m final. Wanyonyi who was the youngest athlete lined up for the final, had a strong start in the two lap race before Marco Arop of Canada, came from the outer lane to beat him for the top podium place in one minute, 44.24 seconds. The 19 year old Wanyonyi clocked 1:44.53 while Ben Pattison of Great Britain took third place in 1:44.83.
4X400M RELAY
In the men’s 4x400m relay, Team Kenya, anchored by two time 800m Commonwealth Games champion Wycliffe Kinyamal, had a tough day in office after Kinyamal pulled a probable injury in the last 100m and dimed hopes for the country to proceed to the finals after finishing 7th in the second heat.
MARATHON HEART BREAK
The day eight of the championship, started toughly with Kenya missing off a podium place in the women’s marathon. Rosemary Wanjiru led the Kenyan challenge in fifth place, clocking two hours, 26 minutes and 42 seconds, with her teammate Selly Chepyego Kaptich one place behind in 2:27:0. Amane Beriso Shankule led an Ethiopian one-two after clocking 2:24:23 seconds at the finish in Heroes’ Square ahead of defending champion Gotytom Gebreslase, who took silver in 2:24:34.
An Ethiopian medal sweep had looked on for most of the race, until the hot conditions took their toll on last year’s London Marathon winner Yalemzerf Yehualaw.
She was passed by Morocco’s Fatima Ezzahra Gardadi, who claimed bronze in 2:25:17, and Israel’s 2022 world bronze medalist, Lonah Chemtai Salpeter, took fourth place in 2:25:38.
some materials sourced from World Athletics
