African Games: Emily Ngii secures Kenya's first gold
Reading Time: 2min | Wed. 20.03.24. | 16:18
She successfully defended her title by crossing the finish line in 1:37:34,
Kenya has secured its first gold medal at the African Games thanks to Emily Wamusyi Ngii, who emerged victorious in the 20KM racewalking event.
Wamusyi, who clinched gold during the 2019 African Games in Rabat, Morocco, successfully defended her title by crossing the finish line in 1:37:34, thereby earning Kenya its first gold medal in Ghana.
Silvia Kemboi, another Kenyan participant in the race, finished fourth with a time of 1:41:20 (LAP 19). Sintayehu Masire Teshager from Ethiopia claimed second place in 1:38:07, while Algeria’s Souad Azzi secured the third position with a time of 1:45:42.
Meanwhile, in the men’s category, Samuel Gathimba, the gold medalist of the 2016 African Championships in Athletics, finished second with a time of 1:28:06, just one second behind Misgana Wakuma of Ethiopia, who won gold in 1:28:05. Ismail Benhammouda from Algeria finished third in 1:31:12 Dominic Ngiti, another Kenyan participant, finished fourth in 1:34:51.
Later in the evening, several more races are scheduled:
Women's 100M hurdles final at 8:30 PM EAT, featuring Kenyan sprinter Rukia Nusra competing against Nigerians Amusan Oluwatobiloba and Faith Osamuyi, as well as Toure Madina from Burundi and Cecilia Guambe from Mozambique, among others.
Women's 400M Final at 7:40 PM EAT, with Mary Moraa as Kenya's sole representative, facing tough competition from athletes such as Botswana's Jele Lydia, Ivory Coast's Samira Awali, and Nigeria's Esther Alo.
Women's 3000m Steeplechase at 8:05 PM EAT, where the Kenyan trio of Beatrice Chepkoech, Caren Chebet, and Purity Kirui are expected to challenge for victory against strong contenders like Ugandan Peruth Chemutai and the Ethiopian trio of Sembo Almayew, Lomi Muleta, and Ayana Gesese.
Women's 4x100m Relay Final at 9:20 PM EAT, featuring the Kenyan team against competitors from Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Ghana, South Africa, Liberia, and Namibia.
Men's 800m Final at 9:05 PM EAT, where Kenyan athletes Alex Kipngetich and Aaron Cheminingwa aim for a top-two finish against challengers like Ethiopian Yohanes Tefera, Tunisian Kadri Ahmed, Ugandan Tom Dradigra, and Moroccan Nabil Oussama, among others.
