Mucheru bags silver for Kenya in 400m hurdles at Rio

Kenya’s Boniface Mucheru Tumuti bagged Kenya’s eighth Rio Olympic medal after finishing second (47.78), behind American Kerron Clement who struck gold in the men’s 400-meter hurdles on Thursday at the Olympic Stadium.

Clement, a two-time world champion, finished in a season-best 47.63 seconds just ahead of a fast-closing Mucheru and Yasmani Copello of Turkey (47.92) to claim a first individual gold at the Olympics.

Another Kenyan and twin brother to the Beijing world champion Nicholas Bett, Haron Koech finished last (49.09).

In the lead up to the race, London Olympic bronze winner Javier Culson of Puerto Rico was disqualified for a false start, ending his hopes of adding a feather to his cap in tears. The crowd responded with a sympathetic standing ovation as he walked off the blue tartan.

The red, black and green colors synonymous with Kenyan flag were allocated the two outside lanes, Koech in the outermost with Mucheru adjacent to him.

Clement, determined to grab the only major world honor missing hitherto in his cabinet in the specialty, led from the gun to the finishing line to replicate his performance in the semi-final which he won in similar style ahead of the Laikipia-born sprinter.

Thomas Barr of Ireland also ran a national record of 47.97 to reach home fourth, followed by Jamaican Ansert Whyte, proud to have made a personal best 48.07.