NAIROBI, Kenya, Aug 21 – The Kenyan mixed relays team suffered day one heartbreak at the World Under-20 Championships in Nairobi after being disqualified from the heats due to lane infringement, having finished second to make the final.
The pain of the opening day was hard to take in but since then, Kennedy Kimeu reached the final of the 400m, setting a new season best time of 46.51secs while Sylvia Chelangat won bronze in the women’s event.
And now, the men’s 4x400m relay team has vowed to use that opening day disappointment as motivation when they line up for the final of the event on the last day of the Championship on Sunday.
“It was really heartbreaking to be disqualified on the first day of the Championship because we were so confident we had the ability to fight for a medal. But we sat down with our coaches that day and we analysed what we did wrong and now, that disappointment will push us to success in Sunday’s final,” Elkanah Kiprotich said.
Peter Kithome sliding to victory in the heats of the 4x400m men’s relay at the World Under 20 Championships. PHOTO/Raymond Makhaya
The team sizzled in their heat on Saturday, winning in a time of 3:05.77 ahead of Jamaica who came in second as both made the final.
Joshua Wanyonyi had run the first 400m, passing over the baton to Kiprotich at third. The latter then pushed to pass over to Kennedy Kimeu at first, with the latter coming home for the exchange at second.
Elkanah Kiprotich then picked up before maintaining second spot to hand over to compatriot Peter Kithome. He picked up the baton with Jamaica’s Jeremy Bembridge striding away with his long kicks at the front with a good sizeable gap to the Kenyan.
Elkanah Kiprotich passing over the baton to Kennedy Kimeu. PHOTO/Kelly Ayodi/World U20 LOC
However, Kithome kicked at the home stretch, going past the Jamaican as he was cheered on by the few fans in the stadium to come home at first.
“We were really fearing the Jamaicans but having beaten them today, we are confident for the final. I think we ran a good race and we will be ready for the final,” Kithome said after the race.
“We believe in ourselves and we believe we can get a medal,” he added.
The 4x400m relay will be the last event of the day and the quartet will be keen to ensure that Kenya’s anthem will be the last played at the five-day Championship.
