MOROCCO, August 11- Fresh from winning Commonwealth Games silver in Glasgow, Josphat Bett won bronze in the men 10,000m finals as the African Championships kicked off in Marrakech to register Kenya’s first medal of the biennial event.
Eritrea’s Nguse Amlosom emerged as the victor to make history as the first runner from his nation ever to win gold – or indeed a medal of any colour – at the African Championships in the first final of the track and field programme.
Heading into the final lap, Amlosom, who finished eighth in the 25-lap event at the 2013 World Championships and 15th at the 2012 Olympics, was one of four athletes still in contention and was perhaps the least favoured.
Moroccan champion Mustapha El Aziz had the benefit of the home crowd behind him, while 2008 world junior champion Bett was fresh from winning the second medal at the Commonwealth Games.
Ethiopian champion Adugna Tekele was something of an unknown quantity, competing in just his second ever track race.
By this point of the race, recently crowned world junior champion Joshua Cheptegei had failed to finish, while his Ugandan team-mate and two-time Commonwealth champion Moses Kipsiro was a non-starter.
Nevertheless, it made the race no less exciting as the quartet kicked hard for the finish line. Tekele was the first to fade out of medal contention.
El Aziz pushed Amlosom all the way, but the Eritrean held on to win in 28:11.07, finishing 0.29 ahead of the Moroccan.
Bett finished third in 28:11.61.
