Kipsang bags10,000m title at AK South Rift Championship

The 2015 Lille Half Marathon champion Vincent Kipsang won the 10,000m finals during the sixth South Rift Regional Athletics Championships at the Narok Stadium on Saturday.

Kipsang of Kericho County timed 29 minutes and 29 seconds to finish ahead of Nicholas Kirui of Nakuru County and Geoffrey Rotich of Bomet County who clocked 29.45 minutes and 30.22 minutes respectively.

Kipsang was impressed by the time he recorded and hopes to take it higher at the National Trials in Nairobi in two weeks time.

“I’m so happy to have run below 30. At first, when I saw the weather here, I knew the race was going to be tough but I pushed my speed to finish at 29. I will work hard to improve in the national trials,” said Kipsang.

On the other hand, Geoffrey Rotich downplayed the low time he recorded terming the field as a  “sub- standard size”.

“I tried my best but I was slowed down by the size of the pitch, which is bigger than the standard size by 31metre. I hope to improve on that at the National trials,” Rotich said.

The AK South Rift Regional Championships at Narok Stadium saw athletes from Kericho, Bomet, Narok, Kajiado, Nakuru and Laikipia counties battle for honours.

Beatrice Mutai of Nakuru clocked 17 minutes, 3.05 seconds to win the women’s 5,000m race, beating Jackline Chepkoech and Purity Kagendo who clocked 17:33.1 and 18:03.02 respectively.

The women’s 3,000m steeplechase saw Joyce Chemutai of Nakuru clinching the title  in 11:42.06 as Betty Chepkemoi managed 11:45.04, ahead of Eunice Mokena who was third in 12:41.07.

Bernard Koech won the men’s 1,500m in 3:59.04, ahead of Maiyo Philip, who graduated from 800m to cover the 1,500m in 4:01.02, while Kipngetich Peter of Kajiado was third in 4:03.05.

In the field events, Martha Chepkemoi recorded a slight improvement on her javelin throw from the previous one she threw in Bomet last weekend, improving from  35.0m to 36.40m. Also from Bomet County, Leonard Ngetich threw 62.0m in the men’s Javelin, defeating Ita Nao of Narok who threw 56m.

Lilian Kemunto of Nakuru timed 2:17.01 to win the women’s 800m ahead of her teammate Eunice Mukina who was second in 2:17.05 and Betty Chepkorir coming third in 2:18.08.