Julius Yego roars to victory as Kenya tops Africa Senior Championship

Javelin thrower Julius Yego is back!

A second throw of season’s best 79.69 metres was enough to see Yego, who braved the rainy and windy arena, retain his javelin title as the 22nd Africa Senior Athletics Championships ended Sunday at Cote d’Or National Sports Complex in Reduit, Mauritius.

Yego's victory, which was his fourth at the continental event, enabled Kenya to top the medal standings once again with 23 medals; 10 gold, five silver and eight bronze.

Kenya hauled 11 medals on the fifth and final day; five gold, three silver and three bronze to finish top of the table for the fifth time after 1982 Cairo, 1984 Rabat, 2010 Nairobi and 2018 Asaba.

South Africa followed next with 36 medals; nine gold, 13 silver and 14 bronze with Nigeria coming in third with 11 medals; five gold, three silver and three bronze.

Algeria settled fourth with nine medals; five gold, three silver and one bronze followed by Algeria 14 (4-6-4) and Botswana seven (4-2-1).  

The 33-year-old Yego, who is also the reigning African Games champion, has previous wins in 2012 Porto Novo, Benin, 2014 Marrakech, Morocco and  2018 Asaba, Nigeria.

It was swift revenge for Yego, the 2015 World champion, as he edged out the 2010 Africa champion Ihab Al Sayed Abdelrahman from Egypt to second place with 77.12m as South Africa's Phillippus Marthinus got bronze with 74.10m.

Yego had lost to Abdelrahman, finishing second at the Kip Kieno Classic on May 7 in Nairobi.
Yego’s compatriot Alexander Kiprotich threw 70.36 to settle fifth.

“Besides aiming to retain my title, I really wanted to attain the World Championships qualifying standards, but the heavy rains and gusting winds couldn’t allow a good throw,” said Yego. “I feel I am in good shape and hope to attain that at the trials.”

Yego will have to throw 85m if he hopes to qualify for the World Athletics Championships planned for July 15 to 24 in Oregon, United States.  

Yego said he is happy to be picking up with his techniques and rhythm slowly returning.

Kenya relinquished the men's high jump title with defending champion Mathew Sawe finishing sixth in 2.05m.

Kenya’s other representative Asbel Kiprop could only manage 2.00m to finish a distant 10th.

Hichem Bouhanoune from Algeria won the event in 2.15m, beating Mike Edward from Nigeria, who settled for silver on countback. South Africa’s Mpho Links claimed bronze.

Kenyan men also lost the 4x400m title after they finished fourth in 3:09.49. Botswana won in 3:04.27 with Zambia and Nigeria settling for silver and bronze in 3:05.53 and 3:07.05 respectively.

Kenyan Medalists

Gold: Ferdinand Omanyala (100m), Winny Chebet (1,500m), Beatrice Chebet (5,000m), 4x100m (men), Caroline Nyaga (10,000m), Samuel Gathimba (20km race walk), Emily Ngii (20km race walk), Abel Kipsang (1,500m), Jarinter Mawia (800m), Julius Yego (javelin)

Silver: Purity Chepkirui (1,500m), Nicholas Kiplagat (1,500m), Maximilla Imali (200m), Daniel Simiu (5,000m), Women’s 4x400m relay

Bronze: Caroline Nyaga (5,000m), Abraham Longosiwa (10,000m), Geoffrey Kirwa (3,000m steeplechase), Veronica Mutua (400m), 4x400m mixed relay, Sylvia Kemboi (20km race walk), Wiseman Were (400m hurdles), Caren Chebet (3,000m steeplechase)