African record consolation for Team Kenya after poor Glasgow outing
Bronze medallist, Kenya's Beatrice Chepkoech poses on the podium during the medal ceremony for the women's 3,000m at the World Athletics Indoor Championships on March 03, 2024.
What you need to know:
- Team Kenya will return home with a single medal after former 3,000metres steeplechase world champion, Beatrice Chepkoech, struck her first indoor silverware, winning bronze in women’s 3,000m on Saturday
- After setting an African Indoor Record of 3:06.96 in the semi-finals, Kenya’s quartet of Wiseman Were, Zablon Ekwam, Kelvin Tauta and Boniface Mweresa curved off the time by 0.25 seconds in a new time of 3:06.71
Kenya’s 4x400metres men’s team might have shattered the African Record twice but their efforts yielded a fourth place at the World Athletics Indoor Championships that were to end Sunday night in Glasgow, Scotland.
The country’s hopes of securing its first victory since 2012 or a medal also came a cropper when Vivian Chebet settled fourth too in women’s 800m final at the Commonwealth Arena.
However, Team Kenya will return home with a single medal after former 3,000metres steeplechase world champion, Beatrice Chepkoech, struck her first indoor silverware, winning bronze in women’s 3,000m on Saturday.
Kenya finished a distant 27th as the United States of America topped with 20 medals; six gold, nine silver and five followed by Belgium with four medals; three gold and a bronze.
After setting an African Indoor Record of 3:06.96 in the semi-finals, Kenya’s quartet of Wiseman Were, Zablon Ekwam, Kelvin Tauta and Boniface Mweresa curved off the time by 0.25 seconds in a new time of 3:06.71.
The Kenyans, who were making their debut in the event, had in the semis beaten the previous African Record of 3:07.95 set a decade ago by Nigeria.
The quartet of Tobi Ogunmola, Noah Akwu, Salihu Isah and Cristian Morton ran the time during the 2014 World Indoor Championships in Sopot, Poland.
It’s the ruthless Belgian quartet of Jonathan Sacoor, Dylan Borlée, Christian Iguacel and Alexander Doom that retained the world title, timing a world lead of 3:02.54.
Americans Jacory Patterson, Matthew Boling, world 60m silver medallist, Noah Lyles, and Christopher Bailey settled second for silver in season’s best 3:02.60 upstaging Liemarvin Bonevacia, Ramsey Angela, Terrence Agard And Tony Van Diepen from the Netherlands to bronze in 3:04.25.
The Dutch had claimed silver in 2022.
“This was our first indoor event and reaching the final to finish fourth is a big first step,” said Were. “This is the first brick of the foundation and we build from there.”
Were said the outing comes with great lessons with the need to have such indoor facilities in Africa. “I believe with more races we shall win a medal next time,” said Were, explaining that qualifying for the final gave them confidence.
Mweresa believes that Kenya can post fast times if preparations are done early with more indoor races. “It was tough but we tried to push,” said Mweresa as Tauta expressed his delight at competing indoors for the first time.
The women’s 800m uncovered a new star in Tsige Duguma who became Ethiopia’s first women’s world indoor champion in the discipline, clocking 2:01.90 to stun home favourite Jemma Reekie to second place in 2:02.72.
An elated Noelie Yarigo secured bronze, the first global medal for the 38-year-old in 2:03.15.
Chepkoech, the 3,000metres steeplechase world record-holder, set a new national record when she clocked 8:22.68 to finish third as surprise package Elle St. Pierre from the United States of America won in a North American and championship record of 8:20.87.
St. Pierre stunned Ethiopia’s world indoor 1,500m champion and outdoor 10,000m champion Gudaf Tsegay to second place in 8:21.13.
Chepkoech broke Hellen Obiri’s previous national record of 8:29.41 set during the Birmingham Indoor Grand Prix in 2017 in Britain.
