IN DOHA
Kenya finished second overall behind the United States of America at the 2019 World Athletics Championships that ended on Sunday in Doha with a total of 11 medals.
The team won five gold medals, two silver and four bronze in Doha, matching her performance at the 2017 edition of the championships held in London two years ago.
This year, the team lost two titles it won in London two years ago when the country failed to retain men’s marathon title and women’s 1,500m crown. But Kenya also won women’s 3000m steeplechase and women’s marathon titles which it did not win in London.
Kenya’s first gold medal came in women’s marathon on the first day of the championship when Ruth Chepngetich timed 2 hours, 32 minutes and 43 seconds to win. Afterwards, Chepngetich said she had not run a tougher race in her career.
“It was a big battle. I have not run such a race before. The weather was very hot and the race was very tough,” the athlete, who also won Bahrain Marathon early this year, said.
KING IS BACK
Kenya also retained men’s 3000 metres steeplechase gold medal that the country had won in the 2017 World Championships in London through Conseslus Kipruto.
Kipruto, who took silver medal in 2015 behind Ezekiel Kemboi, fought one of the closest battles in the World Championships against Ethiopia’s Lamecha Girma before upstaging the 18-year-old by a hundredth of a second.
“The king is back,” Kipruto, who was forced to wait for anxious moments before his victory could be confirmed, told Nation Sport in Doha. Kipruto treated the large number of Kenyan fans present inside Khalifa Stadium to an awe-inspiring performance before embarking in a ‘telescope’ celebration. He later said his manner of celebration meant he had his opponents in his sights throughout the race.
Hellen Obiri, the world champion in women’s 5000m race from 2017, recovered from the heartbreak of finishing fifth in women’s 10,000m final to retain her title in style. Two days before the race, Obiri had contemplated pulling out of the race but team Kenya coaches prevailed upon her and embarked on a trace against time to get her fit for the final.
“I asked myself what it would mean for me to go back home without a medal. I was disappointed to have missed a medal in 10,000m and I thought of pulling out of 5,000m race because I felt my body was weak but I consulted my coaches and gathered courage to focus on 5000m title,” Obiri, who won in a championship record, said afterwards.
ATONE MISTAKE
Beatrice Chepkoech also won her maiden gold medal at the World Championships, cruising to victory in women’s 3,000 metres steeplechase.
Coburn finished second. In winning women’s steeplechase gold, Chepkoech upstaged America’s Emma Coburn who had won gold in 2017 edition of the championship in London. Chepkoech also atoned for her mistake at the water jump in 2017 which had cost her a medal.
The other gold medal came from Timothy Cheruiyot in men’s 1500m final. The Inspector at Kenya Prisons Service ensured that the gold medal Elijah Manangoi won in London in 2017 stayed in Kenya.
The country claimed two silver medals when Faith Chepngetich finished second behind Dutch Sifan Hassan in the final of women’s 1,500m. Margaret Chelimo also finished second behind winner Obiri in women’s 5000m final to claim silver.
Kenya’s four bronze medals came through Ferguson Rotich in men’s 800m and Rhonex Kipruto in men’s 10,000m.
Kenya also took bronze through Amos Kipruto in men’s marathon and Agnes Tirop in women’s 10,000m.
UGANDA FIFTH
But Kenya surrendered men’s marathon and women’s 1,500m titles that the country won in 2017 World Championships in London. Geoffrey Kirui who won gold medal in men’s 42km race two years ago in London faded to 14th in Doha as his title went to Ethiopia’s Lelisa Desisa.
Kenya also lost women’s 1,500m title won by Faith Chepngetich in London. This year, the title went to Ethiopian-born Dutch Sifan Hassan who staged a dominant display to win gold ahead of Chepngetich.
After suffering a groin injury with almost 300m to go in the final race, Chepngetich had put up a brave display, literally chasing Hassan down the finish line on her way to taking silver in a national record time of 3:54.22. Chebet was helped off from Khalifa Stadium track and was stretchered off to the treatment room. She later attended the medals table in crutches.
Jamaica finished third with 12 medals of three gold medals, five silver and four bronze. Ethiopia finished fifth with a total of eight medals of two gold, five silver and one bronze, while Uganda finished ninth with two gold medals and two bronze.
The 2021 edition of the championships will be held in Eugene, Oregon.