Kandie triumphs at KDF Championship, underlines Olympic dream

Former world half marathon record holder and Commonwealth Games bronze medalist Kibiwott Kandie claimed the 10km men’s title at the 44th edition of the AKDF track and field championship, Monday morning at the Ulinzi Sports Complex, Nairobi.

Kandie clocked 28:27:10 to win the race ahead of Roncer Konga and Didmus Lokira, representing the Lanet Soldiers to retain the 10km title he won last year.

The tree-time winner of Valencia Marathon aims to represent Team Kenya in the 2024 Paris Olympics.

“This gives me a good build up since my focus is making Team Kenya for the Olympics in Paris,” said Kandie.

He will however need to win the national trials to fulfill his Olympic dream. It has been five decades and counting since Kenya last won the Olympics 10,000m gold medal, a jinx he is yearning to break.

“I have already hit good timings this year that gives me the motivation to train hard to see that we battle out for the medals if successfully selected for the coming Olympics,” he averred.

In the 5,000m race, Commonwealth Games bronze medalist Selah Jepleting emerged the winner, cutting the tape at 15:17:00 ahead of Thika-based Sheila Cherotich and Cynthia Chep’ngeno representing Isiolo.

The 2021 London Marathon champion, Senior Sergeant Joyciline Chepkosgei from Modika was placed 4th and is set to run at the Manchester 10km in United Kingdom, at the end of this month. She was suing the event as a warmup for the Manchester outing.

In other events Rukia Nusra and Loice Morara won their respective 100m heats in the preliminary round of challenges with ease to storm the finals.

The event, organized and conducted annually by the KDF, is being used to select a KDF team for the upcoming National championship.

At the same time, the event is used to promote discipline and comradeship among the service personnel.

Cabinet Secretary of Defence Aden Duale is set to grace the event’s grand finale on Wednesday.

SELECT RESULTS

10,000m (Men)

1. Kibiwott Kandie (Embakasi) 28:27:10

2. Roncer Konga (Modika) 28:40:35

3. Didmus Lokira (Lanet ) 28:42:43

4. Emmanuel Kipchumba (Kahawa) 28:53:10

5. Peter Mwaniki (Nanyuki)  28:57:13

5000m (Women)

1. Sela Jepleting (Lanet) 15:17:00

2. Sheila Cherotich (Thika) 15:18:81

3. Cynthia Chepng’eno (Isiolo) 15:20:18

4. Joyciline Jepkosgei (Modika) 15:31:58

5. Judy Kiyeng (WAB) 15:33:76