AK Meet: Moraa, Nakaayi win as Ochieng' sets new PB
Halimah Nakaayi wins her 100m heat during third Athletics Kenya Track and Field Meeting at Nyayo Stadium in Nairobi on January 26, 2024.
What you need to know:
- The opening day of the championships saw Africa 4x100m champion Hesbon Ochieng crack the fastest qualifying time of 10.29 seconds in the 100m heats as former national 100m champion and record holder Mark Otieno made a return after two years with an impressive 10.41
- Nakaayi, the 2019 world 800m champion, won her semi-final heat with the fastest time of the day in 2:02.52 and expressed her gratitude to compete in Kenya for the first time
- Ochieng from Prisons downed personal best 10.29, improving his previous time of 10.47 to win his heat as Justine Isaboke from KDF also chalked personal best 10.33 to win the ninth heat with the second fastest time alongside Uganda’s Emmanuel Aboda, who won the 10th heat in 10.30
World 800metres champion Mary Moraa and former world 800m champion Halimah Nakaayi eased through to the finals of their respective races at the ongoing Third Athletics Kenya Track and Field Meeting in Nairobi.
The opening day of the championships saw Africa 4x100m champion Hesbon Ochieng' crack the fastest qualifying time of 10.29 seconds in the 100m heats as former national 100m champion and record holder Mark Otieno made a return after two years with an impressive 10.41.
Moraa, the Commonwealth Games 800m champion, literally walked to the finish line, winning the 400m fifth heat in 53.00 seconds to sail through to Saturday’s final.
The national 400m record holder from Police edged out Gladys Jepkemboi from Nairobi in 54.80 as another Police athlete Maureen Thomas settled third in 55.05. Milicent Ndoro (Police) won the second heat in 54.02 beating Gladys Mumbe from Southern to second place in 56.97.
Joan Cherono clocked 56.68 to win the third heat while Mercy Chebet timed 56.06 to reign in the fourth heat.
“I just wanted to test my strength ahead of the final tomorrow where I should have all the pistons pumping,” said Moraa, who is targeting a personal best or national record with a sub 51 seconds.
“I will be happy if I am to run 50.30 or 50.20,” said Moraa, who holds the national record of 50.38 in 400m.
Prisons’ duo of David Sanayek (46.68) and David Nathaniel Kipng’etich (46.88) and Central’s Kevin Kipkorir (46.84) won their respective 400m heats to sail through to the semi-finals of the men’s 400m.
The men’s 400m had 13 heats.
Hesbon Ochieng wins his 100m heat during third Athletics Kenya Track and Field Meeting at Nyayo Stadium in Nairobi on January 26, 2024.
Nakaayi, the 2019 world 800m champion, won her semi-final heat with the fastest time of the day in 2:02.52 and expressed her gratitude to compete in Kenya for the first time.
“I am here to train as well as inspire the upcoming generation of middle distance athletes. I want the region to produce more Nakaayis and Moraas,” said Nakaayi, who is set to start her indoor season next weekend in France.
Nakaayi beat world cross country relay champion Miriam Cherop from Kericho to second place in 2:04.42 as Moraa’s sister Sarah came third in personal best 2:05.59.
Vivian Chebet from Kenya Defence Forces, won the second heat in 800m with the third fastest time of 2:04.76, beating Nala’s Mary Nyaruai to second place in 2:05.48.
The championships saw Rebecca Mwangi from Central winning women’s 10,000m in 34:14.29, beating the Southern duo of Monica Wangui (34:17.90) and Nympha Kivalo (34:21.88) to second and third place respectively.
Ochieng from Prisons downed personal best 10.29, improving his previous time of 10.47 to win his heat as Justine Isaboke from KDF also chalked personal best 10.33 to win the ninth heat with the second fastest time alongside Uganda’s Emmanuel Aboda, who won the 10th heat in 10.30.
“This is just the start since my ultimate target is to run 10 seconds and qualify for the Paris Olympic Games,” said Ochieng after running the fastest time in the men's 100m that drew a record 24 heats.
