It pays to help a brother in need. And for his generosity, Brazilian athlete Yeltsin Jacques was on Friday rewarded with Paralympic Games gold in the final of the 5,000 metres (T11 class) race for the visually impaired.
And across the city on the waters, Kenya’s Asiya Sururu Mohammed finished fifth in her heat of the women’s F1 Single Sculls at the Tokyo Sea Forest Waterway.
She now enters the repechage scheduled for Saturday with an outside chance of making the ‘A’ final.
Kenya’s Rodgers Kiprop and Wilson Bii had hoped for a 1-2 Kenyan finish in a race whose world record is held by their compatriot Henry Wanyoike at 15 minutes, 11.07 seconds from the 2008 Games in Athens.
But the Brazilian and two Japanese runners – Kenya Karasawa, named after the country Kenya for its athletics prowess, and Shinya Wada – had other ideas, snatching the medals at the death.
Karasawa hit the front at the bell as Kiprop faded back and was followed by compatriot Wada and Brazilian Jacques.
But the move proved a bit premature as with 200 metres to go, he was upstaged by the Brazilian who threatened Wanyoike’s world record 15:11.07 but fell just short.
Jacques won in a South American record 15 minutes, 13.26 seconds while Karasawa took silver in 15:18.12 and Shinya the bronze in 15:21.03 to lock the Kenyans out of the podium.
Kiprop was fourth in 15:27.06 a personal best time, while Bii brought the rear in 17:31.73.
Kenya’s Wilson Bii (1518) and guide Robert Tarus compete in the Tokyo Paralympic Games 5,000 metres T11 final at the National Stadium in Tokyo on August 27, 2021.
Kiprop, guided by Malinga Kisa, later explained that he had been disqualified before the race for lacking the mandatory visor but the Brazilian stepped in at the call room and offered Kiprop his.
“The Brazilian saved me because I didn’t know that we needed these visors and I didn’t have any,” Kiprop explained after the race.
“But I must say that disorganised me a bit… But I’m happy with the support we have received from the ministry and government so far in our preparations,” he added.
Bii also said the heat and humidity affected them a lot, throwing their game plan into a spin.
At the Sea Forest Waterway, Asiya (13 minutes, 45.50 seconds) was fifth in a heat won by Israel’s Moran Samuel in 11:03.02.
She enters the repechage so see who goes through to the ‘A’, or ‘B’ final on Sunday.
Selected results from the men’s 5,000m T11 final:
1. Yeltsin Jacques, Brazil (Guides: Laurindo Neto/Carlos Antonio dos Santos) 15:13.62,
2. Kenya Karasawa, Japan (Guides: Horoaki Mogi/ Koji Kobayashi) 15:18.15,
3. Shinya Wada, Japan (Guides: Kengo Yajima/ Takumi Hasabe) 15:21.03,
4. Rodgers Kiprop, Kenya (Guides: Malinga Kisa/ Musa Boro) 15:27.05,
5. Rosbil Guillen, Peru (Guides: Cereceda Ferdinan/ Carlos Miguel Guevara Cayo) 15:32.82,
6. Darwin Gustavo Castro Reyes, Ecuador (Guides: Diego Patricio Arevalo Vizhnay/ Sebastian Paul Rosero Armijo) 15:49.50,
7. Julio Cesar Agripina dos Santos, Brazil (Guides: Guilherme Ademils/ Lutimar Abreu Paes) 16:27.31,
8. Cristian Valenzuela, Chile (Guides: Francisco Munos/ Martias Andres Lastra Silva) 17:15.14,
9. Wilson Bii, Kenya (Guides: Robert Kimeli Tarus/ Mus Boro). BY DAILY NATION