Kenya Defence forces Mercy Wanjiru Gitahi led her teammate Leah Jeruto to a 1-2 finish in the women’s 3000m steeplechase when she clocked 9 minutes 45.08 seconds during the National athletics trials held at Ulinzi complex.
Meanwhile Kenya Police’s Gladys Kwamboka emerged second in the women’s 10,000m race won by Uganda’s guest runner Joy Cheptoyek.
The two day event will see Kenya select a team for the Africa Senior Championships to be held in Duala Cameroon next month.
Gladys Kwamboka finished second 32 minutes 43.4 seconds behind Joy Cheptoyek of Uganda who won the 10,000 m race in 32minutes 31.8 seconds .
South Rift’s Faith Chepkoech and Emmy Chepkemoi from North Rift finished third and fourth respectively.
KDF’s Meshack Babu beat Moses Onyango Wasike from Nairobi in the first semi final of the 100m race which he won in 10.38 seconds as Mark Otieno of Eastern won the second semi final in 10.45 seconds ahead of Justin Mogoi Isaboke of KDF to set up a scintillating finals tomorrow .
Kenya Prison’s Esther Mbagari outsprinted KDF Champion Rukia Nusra in the first semi finals of the womens 100m race in 11.80 seconds as both sailed through to the finals.
Monica Safania of Kenya police ensured her place too when she won the second heat in 12.09 seconds. She will be joined in the finals by her Police teammate Eunice Kadogo who won the third heat in 12.01 seconds.
Former World champion Timothy Cheruiyot won the third semi final in 1500m men’s race in 3 minutes 47.10 seconds to qualify for the finals with his Police teammate Brian Komen who carried on with his winning ways in the second heat after shining in Doha in 3 minutes 44.68 seconds .
Mary Nyaruai from Central won the first heat in the women’s 1500m semi finals in 4 minutes 13.79 seconds as Nancy Cherop won the second heat in 4 minutes 19.67 seconds to advance to the finals tomorrow with among others Winny Chebet , Viola Jepleting, Faith Mwende and Caroline Nyaga.
The Kenya national athletics championships cum trials will come to an end on Wednesday with the AK expected to name a team for the Africa senior championship.
