Kenya finally wins gold medal on Wednesday as Emily Ngii, Mary Moraa, Beatrice Chepkoech and Aaron Kemei take home gold medal each to end the country’s wait at the ongoing African Games in Accra, Ghana.
READ KNBS Unveils Its 4 Year Strategy Plan With Focus On AI
World champion 800m Moraa and 3000m steeplechase world record holder Chepkoech won the second and third gold medals after dominating the 400m and 3000m steeplechase finals. Kemei ended the day with a fourth gold medal after clocking 1:45.72 to win the men’s 800m ahead of compatriot Alex Kipngetich who finished second in 1:45.73 to Botswanan Nkape Tumo won bronze.
Walking Ngii kicks off Kenya’s triumph in the women’s 20km race at the University of Ghana with a gold medal. The Commonwealth Games bronze medalist clocked 1:37:34 ahead of Ethiopia’s Masire Sintayehu who clocked 1:38:07 while Algeria’s Souad Azzi finished third in 1:39:43.
The victories of Moraa, Chepkoech, Ngii and Kemei brought Kenya’s medals to 20 (four gold, five silver and eleven bronze). In the women’s 400, Moraa won in 50.57 seconds ahead of Nigeria’s Esther Elo Joseph who clocked 51.61, and Burundi’s Sita Sibiri who clocked 51.74.
Moraa, who led Kenya to a bronze medal in the 4x400m relay on Tuesday, is also the national record holder in the 400m. She is building up her momentum ahead of a busy schedule that includes the 2024 Paris Olympics.
ALSO READ Tax literacy to be taught from a younger age
Minutes after Moraa gave Kenya its second gold medal, Chepkoech destroyed the field in 9:15.61 to dominate the 3000m steeplechase. Purity Kirui and Caren Kibet came sixth and seventh respectively.
Earlier, three-time African champion Samuel Gathimba relinquished his men’s title as he settled for silver (1:28.06) behind Ethiopia’s Misgana Fekanasa who clocked 1:28.06. 28.05 to win the men’s 20km race. Meanwhile, the Wafalme Stars men’s football team continued their good form after defeating Burkina Faso 3-0 to reach the semi-finals.
Wafalme will face Cameroon in the semi-finals on Friday after the latter defeated Chad 3-1 in the quarter-finals. Egypt will face the host nation in the quarter-finals.
