Nyairera, Aprot spice up Prisons championships

Rio Olympics 800m women bronze medalist Margret Nyairera and African 10,000m and cross country champion Alice Aprot,  spiced up the two day Kenya Prisons Service track and field championships that ended on Saturday at the Nyayo National Stadium.

Athletics enthusiast were left asking for more action from the star athletes that graced the institutional championships that started off on Tuesday with the Kenya Defense Forces (KDF), followed by the Prisons.

Attention shifts to the forthcoming Kenya Police Service championships that set off on Tuesday through to Thursday.

Despite not participating her specialty 800m race, Nyairera had a good command of the 200m, 400m as well as the relay events reaping more honours for her team, Prisons Staff Training College (PSTC).

“This was all about speed as I prepare for the Eugene Diamond League, 13 days from now. It helped me in Doha I clocked 1:57.03 and by the time I shall be going London World Championships I believe I shall be ready,” the former junior world champion said.

Meanwhile, world cross silver medalist Aprot, was no match to the eight athletes from various Prisons departments at the women’s 10,000m final as she lapped everyone in the field including Pauline Wangui finished second.

Aprot  stopped the timer at 32:13.4 under the keen eye of former 5,000m world bronze medalist and three time world cross champion Edith Masai who was cheering her outside the track.

Just like last year, she dominated the race from the start to the end, and by the the bell went off, second place finisher Wangui (33:47.2) had a whole two laps to cover.

Maureen Chepkemoi was not discouraged by the fact that she was lapped more than twice by former world cross champion Joseph Ebuya’s younger sister.

She finished her in 34:13.8 to win a bronze medal for her team, Nyanza.

“The race was great. This is my first track competition graduating as a Prisons officer and I feel my body is responding well to the training.” Said Aprot in a post race interview.

African Championships silver medalist Timothy Cheruiyot had an easy win in the men’s 1,500m race ahead of Mark Bett of Nairobi region.

Cheruiyot from Central region stopped the timer at 3:40.8 for the top podium place as world silver medalist and training partner  Elijah Managoi enjoyed watching the race at the terraces.

Bett clocked 3:42.6 for the second podium place while James Tenai from Rift Valley region followed him closely the least podium place in 3:42.9.