Kenya’s World Under-20 10,000m race walk champion Heristone Wanyonyi missed a medal by a whisker in men’s Under-20 10km race at the World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships in Muscat, Oman on Friday.
Wanyonyi clocked a national record in Under-20 of 45 minutes and 18 seconds to finish fourth on his maiden trip outside the country.
Wang Hongren from China won the event in a season’s best 44:06 as Diego Giampaolo from Italy settled fro silver in 44:14.
Zeng Yu also from China denied Wanyonyi a podium finish by claiming bronze in a photo-finish with Giampaolo in 44:14.
Yunyan Jiang and Jinyan Jang completed a 1-2 finish for China in women’s Under-20 10km im times of 47:48 and 48:03 respectively.
The next Kenyan on the blocks will the Africa and African Games 20km champion Emily Ngii in the women’s 20km at 3pm on Friday.
On the second day, Africa and African Games 2okm champion Samuel Gathimba, Simon WAchira and 2017 World Under-18 10,000m bronze medallist Dominic Ndigiti will field in the senior men’s 20km.
Since the Under-20 races were introduced in 2004, Chinese athletes have won four of the eight gold medals awarded in the Under-20 men’s race, including the past three editions.
China dominated the last World Race Walking Team Championships in 2018 with 12 medals in all colours, four more than nearest challengers, Japan.
Gathimba, Wachira and Ndigiti will come up against the full force of Olympic champion Massimo Stano, and Koki Ikeda and Toshikazu Yamanishi from Japan, who won silver and bronze respectively at 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Friday’s Programme
07:00am – 10km U20 women
08:10am – 10km U20 men
3:00pm – 20km women
6:00pm – 10km masters men and women, and relay
Saturday’s Programme
6am: 35km men & women
3pm: 20km men BY DAILY NATION