
Form 2 Student Dominates South Rift Athletic Championships.
Purity Chepkirui dominated the South Rift Regional Track and Field Athletics Championships, which were held at Kericho Green Stadium.
According to KNA, the upcoming athlete, a Form Two student at Tiloa Mixed Secondary School Nakuru County, won gold in the 1500m women category at the World Athletics U20 Championships held in August last year at Kasarani Stadium in Nairobi, clocking 4:16.07.
Chepkirui stormed to victory in the 1,500m with a time of 4:10.9, beating her closest rival, reigning Africa Junior Cross-Country champion Miriam Cherop, who ran 4:14.5, and Faith Chepkoech, who finished third with a time of 4:15.5 in the tight race of 14 competitors.
“The race was good and my training at Tiloa primary school has borne fruit. I did my best because I aimed at earning a ticket for the National Championships,” an elated Chepkirui said.
The 18-year-old, who is from Tiloa village in Kuresoi, Nakuru, expressed confidence that she will be able to represent Kenya at international events later this year.
The track and field events featured prominent and upcoming athletes from Kericho, Bomet, Laikipia, Nakuru, Kajiado, and Narok, including the reigning Women’s Berlin Marathon Champion Gladys Cherono and Boston Marathon winner Geoffrey Koech Mutai.
The 1500m men’s race Constandy Cheruiyot won with a time of 3:46.5, Daniel Kosen finished second with a time of 3:47.0, and Gilbert Rono finished third with a time of 3:49.5.
The region will select athletes to compete in the National Athletics Championships trials, which will take place on April 28 at Kasarani Stadium in Nairobi.
Mr John Wachira, Chairman of South Rift Athletics Kenya (AK), praised the region’s seasoned and emerging athletes for their outstanding performances, saying there was no doubt they would represent Kenya at global events this year.
“South Rift has a strong team and from what I have seen today they have qualified athletes who we will depend on to win gold medals for Kenya,” observed Wachira.
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Athletes competed in the 100m, 110m, 200m, 400m, 400m relay, 800m, 1500m, 3000m, steeplechase, 5000m, and 10000m, as well as field events like javelin, discus throw, long jump, and shot put.
Major events to look out for in 2022 include the 18th World Athletics Championships, which will be held in Eugene, Oregon, from July 15th to July 24th, and the Commonwealth Games, which will be held in Birmingham from July 28th to August 8th.
Form 2 Student Dominates South Rift Athletic Championships