NAIROBI, Kenya, Aug 18 – Team Kenya’s hope of medaling on the opening day of the World Athletics Under-20 Championships on home soil went up in smoke on Wednesday as the two representatives in the inaugural edition of the 3,000m finished way out of medal positions.
Daniel Kinyanjui finished seventh while Bernard Kibet was ninth in a race dominated by the Ethiopian duo of Tadese Worku and Ali Abdilmana, the two coming in first and second for gold and silver while Eritrea’s Hebtom Samuel settled for bronze.
Worku, the World Under-20 Cross Country silver medalist clocked 7mins, 42.09secs which stood as the Championship record as this was the first time the event was being staged in the Under-20 level.
Compatriot Abdilmana clocked a new personal best time of 7mins, 44.55secs for silver while Samuel won Eritrea’s first medal at the event, also with a new Personal best time of 7mins, 52.69secs.
Ethiopia’s Tadese Worku salutes after winning gold in the men’s 3,000m final at the World Under-20 Championships in Nairobi. PHOTO/Kelly Ayodi/World U20 LOC
“I am very happy to win this medal today. I had trained very hard and coming to Nairobi, I just wanted to win something for my country. I am proud,” a delighted Worku said after the race.
Eritrea’s Samuel was over the moon after his performance, saying he never expected to win a medal.
“This is the first time ever that I have competed for Eritrea and it was my dream that I win something. I didn’t think it was possible but when I saw that I was in a good position, I just challenged myself to keep going,” Samuel said after the race.
The Ethiopian duo took command of the race from start to finish and Worku, the biggest profile on the start list was never going to take it easy.
He kept to the front from gun to finish. With three laps to go, Worku and Abdilmana were running on each others’ necks, with a gap of almost 15m existing between them and the Kenyan pair of Kinyanjui and Kibet.
Samuel and fellow Eritrean Merhawi Mehbratu were closely prying behind the Kenyans.
Kenya’s Bernard Kibet is trailed by the Eritrean duo of Habtom Samuel and Merhawi Mehbratu at the World Under-20 Championships in nairobi. PHOTO/Kelly Ayodi/World U20 LOC
Kibet who was at the front was clearly struggling and his body language didn’t tell of a man close enough to challenge the flying Worku and Abdilmana.
With two laps to go, the Kenyan fell off the pace and so did Kinyanjui who had already began to peel off the leading pack.
At the bell, it was clear that gold, silver and bronze were all going to Ethiopia and Eritrea. Worku and Abdilmana were chasing down time with Worku the stronger athlete. In the final 300m, the 19-year old powered home with his compatriot following suit.
Samuel managed to outsprint his teammate Mehbratu to bronze, but the way they embraced and jumped on each other at the finish line told of a duo happy that a medal was going to their country.
Kinyanjui timed 8:09.40 at seventh while Kibet dropped further back to clock 8:12.96 at ninth.
“It was not my day today. I just couldn’t manage with the pace,” Kinyanjui said as he gasped for breath.
