PARIS, France, Aug 7 – A bronze was not only a first medal for Steeplechaser Abraham Kibiwot at the Olympics, but also came at the right time, just six days after the birth of her daughter Angle Kyla Chemutai.
Kibiwot, 28, saved Kenya the blushes when she utilized all his energy in the last 400m to clock season’s best of 8:06.47 in a tightly contested race won by Soufiane El Bakkali of Morocco, who defended his gold in a time of 8:06.05 while Rooks Kenneth managed to give USA a rare medal after bagging silver in a Personal best of 8:06.41.
“This is a big achievement for me, I dedicate this medal to my daughter she is six days old. She came as a blessing to me. I ran a good race. It’s my first time to get a medal in the Olympics. I thank my family and the Athletics Kenya for this achievement,” Kibiwot, a world bronze medallist said after the race.
He added, “We hoped this would be a race for Kenya, but I was number three. At the next few Olympics and world championships the steeplechase glory will return to Kenya,” the Commonwealth Games champion stated.
-Abraham Kibiwot Profile-
Name: Abraham Kibiwot
Event: 3,000m steeplechase
Born: April 6, 1996
Weight: 58kgs
Height: 5.7ft
Personal best
3,000m: 7:56.05 (Vught 2021)
5,000m: 14:10.8 (Eldoret 2015)
2000m steeplechase: 5:53.90 (Warri 2013)
3,000m steeplechase: 8:05.51 (Rabat 2023)
5km: 13:49 (Herzogenaurach 2021)
10km: 29:40 (Eldoret 2019).
Olympics:10th at the Tokyo games
