Relay team bags Kenyas fifth gold in Brazzaville as games wind down

Relay team bags Kenyas fifth gold in Brazzaville as games wind down

The Kenya men’s 4 by 400m relay team is still yet to come to terms with their triumphant performance in the final at the African Games in Congo.

The Kenyan quartet of Raymond Kibet, Alex Sampao, Kiprono Koskei and Boniface Mweresa bagged Kenya’s fifth gold beating a star-studded Botswana at the Kintele Stadium in the capital, Brazzaville.

The final was the climax of the athletics program with Botswana favorites to triumph as they were led by recently crowned 400M African champion Isaac Makwala and 800M champ Nijel Amos.

Botswana took the lead in the first lap with Kenya second at the first and second changeovers. Kenya’s crowning moment was in the 3rd changeover when Kiprono Koskei displayed sheer grit to pass Botswana’s Leaname Maotoanong.

The pressure was on the new African 400M silver medalist Boniface Mweresa to anchor the Kenyan team to gold. Mweresa received the baton and never looked back as Makwala who beat the Kenyan in the individual race sensed defeat.

Mweresa kept his cool and denied Botswana the gold as he made history for Team Kenya.

“It’s unexpected but the courage we had we managed to triumph, I knew Botswana was the team to beat they had Nijel Amos and Makwala. You can be good in the 400M but if you are not good in the final sprint you will struggle, “Mweresa said after bagging his second medal at the African Games.

“I knew I had the power, I knew I could pass him, “ Koskei revealed after snatching the lead from Botswana’s Leaname Maotaonong in the third change over.

The relay team also set a  new championship record of 3 minutes and 34 seconds.

The Women’s 4 by 400M relay team bagged the bronze medal while Nigeria and Botswana scooped gold and silver respectively.

Kenya finished third overall in the Athletics medal standings with 20 Medals.

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kenya sports games gold Brazzaville

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