Hellen Obiri leading the pack during the 2018 KDF Athletics Championhips at the Kasarani Stadium. Photo/RAYMOND MAKHAYA
NAIROBI, Kenya, June 6 – World champion Hellen Obiri bounced back to winning ways after claiming the 5000m title at the Kenya Defence Forces Athletics Championships on Wednesday at the Moi International Sports Center Kasarani.
Obiri, the reigning Commonwealth Games title holder, dominated the race with eight laps to go to cross the line first in 14:48.5, flooring Joyciline Koima of Mtongwe who claimed the second spot in 15:03.6 while Gladay Kimana, representing Kahawa settled for third in 15:06.8.
“I am happy with my time today, it shows that my shape is coming back slowly after not having good performance at the opening two Diamond League legs in Doha and Prefontaine,” Obiri, who runs for the Laikipia Air base, said.
Obiri is yet to get a win in this season’s IAAF Diamond League after finishing 14th in the 3,000m race in Doha, before settling for third in 5,000m at Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, USA.
Hellen Obiri in action during KDF Athletics Championships. Photo/RAYMOND MAKHAYA
Obiri, the Olympic silver medallist will now head back to training as she seeks to secure Team Kenya’s slot for the Africa Senior Athletics Championships when the trials will be conducted on June 21-23 at the Kasarani Stadium.
In the corresponding men’s race, Cyrus Rutto from Kahawa booked a semi-final berth to run on Thursday after winning his heat in 13:50.0 ahead of Vedick Cheruiyot from Mtongwe in 13:50.7.
In sprints, William Mbevi and Edward Ngunjiri won their respective 400m hurdles semi-finals to reach the final due for Thursday.
Ngunjiri from Thika returned 52.0 to win, relegating the 2016 Rio Olympics 400m hurdles silver medallist Boniface Mucheru (Nanyuki) to second place in 52.1.
Boniface Mucheru in action during the 2018 KDF Athletics Championships at Kasarani Stadium. Photo/RAYMOND MAKHAYA
Geoffrey Kirui of Laikipia Air Base came in third in 55.4 to also qualify for the final.
It was Mucheru’s first race since the 2016 Rio Olympics. The 2016 African Champion has been nursing injuries on both his legs.
Mbevi timed 51.6 to triumph, edging out Kahawa’s John Gikonyo and Ezekiel Bett of Thika in 52.6 and 52.8 respectively.
The 2014 Commonwealth 1,500m champion James Magut of Mtongwe timed 3:47.1 to win his 1,500m race to reach the final.
