Ronald Kipchumba Rutto, winner of 3000m SC race talking to press - 2005 Nairobi AAC Permit (© Omulo Okoth)
Nairobi, KenyaOlympic 3000m steeplechase champion Ezekiel Kemboi and Eritrea's Olympic 10,000m bronze medallist Zersenay Tadesse were soundly defeated at the African Athletics Confederation (AAC) Permit Meeting in Nairobi today.
Elsewhere in the sprints, Olusoji Fasuba of Nigeria sped to a 10.09 clocking in the 100m (-1.5m/s).
Kemboi finished in a lowly eighth position in the flat 3000m, in a race which was won in 7:46.6 by former World Youth 1500m champion Isaac Songok, a World and Olympic finalist. Kemboi was timed in 7:56.8 but hastened to say he was not bitter because he had just started back track running for the first time since last summer. Tadesse was third in 7:50.5, behind Kenyan David Chemweno, who timed 7:48.2.
Songok pulled away from the pack at the bell and held onto his lead to the finish. "I am happy that Julius Kiptoo did a fine pace-making job. I will be running the 1500m at IAAF Super Grand Prix II next week in Doha, Qatar, and this was a fine warm-up," said Songok.
Kemboi said he has not raced much since winning the Olympic gold in Athens. "I have just started. I will run a couple of races in Europe but this is a good warm-up. I am not disappointed and my target is the World Championships in Helsinki.”
World Youth and Junior champion Ronald Kipchumba Rutto won the 3000m Steeplechase in 8:33.00, and sounded a stern warning to Qatar’s World champion Saif Saaeed Shaheen with regard to Helsinki: "This is Kenya's turn for the World title and World record."
Another World Junior (5000m) and Youth (3000m) champion Augustine Choge won the 1500m in 3:34.8 as last year's sensation Daniel Kipchirchir Komen finished third in 3:35.7 behind Suleiman Simatwo who was timed in 3:35.5. Choge said he will run the 5000m in the World Championship trials. His coach Bro. Colm O'Connell confirmed that Choge, who won the junior men's 8km race at the World Cross Country Championships in France last March would henceforth run the 5000m.
In the men’s 100m, Olusoji Fasuba of Nigeria equalled his personal best with a 10.09 clocking (-1.5m/s). The 20-year-old has begun the year well having taken a sprint double (10.20/20.62) in the earlier AAC meet in Bamako on 6 April.
South Africa's 2000 Sydney Olympics bronze medallist Llewelyn Herbert won the men’s 400m Hurdles in 49.9 and announced he would retire from international competition after the Beijing 2008 Olympics. In second place was another South African Pieter Koekemoer, who clocked 50.3.
Omulo Okoth (The Standard) for IAAF
Leading results:
MEN
100m (-1.5m/s)
1. Olusoji Fasuba (NGR) 10.09
2. Xandre Strydom (RSA) 10.41
3. Snyman Prinsloo (RSA) 10.43
400m
1. Ezra Sambu (KEN) 45.84
2. Vincent Mumo (KEN) 46.04
3. Hendryk Moganyetsi (RSA) 46.39
400m Hurdles
1. Llewelyn Herbert (RSA) 49.9
2. Pieter Koekemoer (RSA) 50.3
3. Julius Bungei (KEN) 51.9
800m
1. Alex Kipchirchir, KEN 1:45.66
2. William Chirchir, KEN 1:45.88
3. Michael Rotich, KEN 1:46.55
4. Joseph Mutua, KEN 1:46.80
Race 2 International:
1. Mark Too, KEN 1:46.06
2. Oabona Oalenna, BOT 1:46.14
3. Gilbert Kipchoge, KEN 1:46.32
National race (in the morning)
1. John Litei, KEN 1:46.6
2. Ismael Kombich, KEN 1:46.8
1500m
1. Augustine Choge (KEN) 3:34.8
2. Suleiman Simatwa (KEN) 3:35.5
3. Daniel Kipchirchir Komen (KEN) 3:35.7
National race (in the morning)
1 Jonathan Komen 3:39.28
2. Remyu Limo Ndiwa 3:39.30
3. Michael Ndiwa 3:39.42
3000m
1. Isaac Songok (KEN) 7:46.6
2. David Chemweno (KEN) 7:48.2
3. Zerseney Tadesse (ERI) 7:50.5
National race (in the morning)
1. Moses Masai 7:49.1
3000m SC
1. Ronald Kipchumba Rutto (KEN) 8:33.0
2. Kipkurui Misoi (KEN) 8:35.5
3. Justus Kiprono (KEN) 8:35.8
Long Jump
1. Paul Koech (KEN) 7.31
2. Luke Kiprop (KEN) 7.20
3. Richard Kosgei (KEN) 7.15
Javelin
1. Peter Blank (GER) 75.64
2. Paul Lagat (KEN) 71.94
3. Sammy Kesingeny (KEN) 69.86
High Jump
1. Kabelo Mmono (BOT) 2.20
2. Justus Mosembe (KEN) 2.05
3. Stansilas Mutunga (KEN) 2.05
WOMEN
200m
1. Elizabeth Muthoka (KEN) 24.61
2. Justine Bayigga (UGA) 24.66
3. Nawal El Jak (SUD) 24.73
1500m
1. Nancy Lagat, KEN 4:11.0
2. Irene chelagat , KEN 4:16.2
3. Naomi Mugo, KEN 4:16.3
3000m
1. Prisca Jepleting (KEN) 8:58.6
2. Veronica Nyarwai (KEN) 9:01.3
3. Agnes Chenonge (KEN) 9:04.6
