African Games: Gold for Kenya as Komen reigns supreme in 1500m race
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Reading Time: 2min | Fri. 22.03.24. | 21:35
Before the three-and-a-quarter laps event, Kenyan athletes had failed to win gold in the 5000m men's race and the 1500m race for the women
Kenya added yet another medal to the African Games basket as Brian Komen coasted to victory in the men’s 1500m final.
After watching his compatriots fail to mine gold in the preceding events, Komen, took matters into his own hands, sailing to the finish line to ensure the national anthem would be blasted in the penultimate day of the Games.
Before the three-and-a-quarter laps event, Kenyan athletes had failed to win gold in the 5000m men's race and the 1500m race for the women.
However, Komen made the difference as his long strides after the final bend were no match to the trailing athletes who struggled to keep up with his pace.
Komen timed 3:39.19 with Shire Ermias Girma of Ethiopia settling for silver after crossing the line in 3:39.40.
Abel Kipsang who was the pre-race favorite given his experience which includes appearances in the Olympics, Diamond League, and the World Athletics Championship settled for bronze in 3:39.45.
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Kipsang who has an affinity for racing from the front changed tact and held the card close to his chest, but his kick in the final 50 metres wasn’t strong enough to bridge the gap between him and Komen.
Earlier on at the same venue, Cornelius Kemboi secured bronze in the 5000m race won by Ethiopian Berhe Hagois.
Kemboi recorded 13:40.31 with Hagois needing 13:38.12 to win the race.
Jama Mohamed (13:38.64) of Somalia surprisingly won silver with Evans Kiptum, the other Kenyan in the race finishing tenth.
Mary Ekiru also mined bronze in the women’s 1500m race after timing 4:06.22. Ekiru finished behind Kumsa Amera(4:06.09) and champion Hirut Mero who set a games record of 4:05.71
It was a bad day in the office for Samuel Chege as he finished last in the 200m men’s final.
Chege, running on the second outer lane clocked 21.35 seconds in a race won by homeboy Joseph Amoah who stopped the clock after 20.70 seconds.
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