Kipyegon wins women’s 1500m Kenyan Olympic trials
Kipyegon wins 1500m Kenyan Olympic trial
JOHANNESBURG, June 18 (ANA) – Faith Kipyegon booked her ticket to the Tokyo Olympics with victory in the women’s 1500m at the Kenyan Championships, in Nairobi, on Thursday.
Kipyegon, 27, is the defending Olympic champion in the event and comfortably won the 1500m trials race in 4:02.10, with African champion Winny Chebet also claiming a team place thanks to her runner-up finish and Edinah Jebitok placing third.
“My focus is to defend my Olympic title in Tokyo,” Kipyegon told Athletics Kenya.
“It was a really good race here, which I really wanted to win. I know I will meet many good athletes in Tokyo, but I have prepared really well.”
In the women’s 5000m, Lilian Kasait Rengeruk and Hellen Obiri booked their places on the Kenyan team.
Rengeruk finished in 14:52.18 for victory as a total of seven athletes finished under the Olympic qualifying standard of 15:10.00.
A group of eight had remained together until the pack approached the final lap, when five athletes – led by Rengeruk and Obiri – started to move away. Rengeruk picked up the pace with Obiri in pursuit, but the 2017 world cross country bronze medallist managed to hold off two-time world 5000m champion Obiri down the home straight. Obiri finished second in 14:52.51.
Two-time world 10,000m bronze medallist Agnes Tirop was just behind them, clocking 14:53.91, and world 5000m silver medallist Margaret Chelimo Kipkemboi also went sub-15:00 with 14:58.61 to finish fourth. World Under-20 champion Beatrice Chebet was fifth in 15:01.86.
“I didn’t expect to win. I thank God for victory and good health,” Rengeruk said.
“The race was tactical. I didn’t have many races (in the lead-up) but my preparation was uninterrupted. My wish is to work as a team in Tokyo to ensure we deliver podium finishes.”
Joining her in Japan will be Obiri, who made her half marathon debut with a 1:04:51 performance in Istanbul in April and in Nairobi explained how she may switch her focus to road races after this year.
“I’m satisfied with my second place finish, what matters most was to finish in the top two,” she said. “I will go back and work hard in training to ensure I do well in Tokyo.”
The men’s 100m saw Ferdinand Omanyala improve on the Kenyan record with a time of 10.02, with Mark Otieno second in 10.05 to also achieve the Olympic qualifying time. – African News Agency (ANA), Editing by Michael Sherman
