Some exciting moments from the Kip Keino Classic continental tour

Track fans at the Kip Keino Classic, 3 October 2020, photo by Stuart Weir via World Athletics

This is the piece on the KIp Keino Classic, held today in Nairobi, Kenya. This is end of season meet, and only Continental Tour in Africa. The story is by Justin Lagat.

It turned out to be a very exciting day today in Nairobi with great weather conditions for the first ever continental tour in Kenya; the Kipkeino Classic.

Almost all the stars that had executed the amazing 3000m race in the final track event at the Doha Diamond League meeting last month were all back to square it again in the women’s 5000m race. Again, the final stages of the race turned out to be another duel between Hellen Obiri and Agnes Tirop. Obiri held off Tirop to win the race in 15:06.36 against Tirop’s 15:06.71. Margaret Kipkemboi took third in 15:11.11.

5,000m women’s race results:
ðŸ¥‡ Hellen Obiri 15:06.36
ðŸ¥ˆ Agnes Tirop 15:06.71
ðŸ¥‰Margaret Kipkemboi 15:11.11 pic.twitter.com/QPsuUi6qSv
— Kipkeino Classic Continental Tour (@KipKeinoClassic) October 3, 2020

Earlier on, in a race that was not part of the continental tour, but which served to warm up the fans and the track, Paul Tanui strode away in the penultimate lap of the men’s 10,000m race to win it comfortably.

Kip Keino Classic, Nairobi, Kenya, 3 October 2020, Timothy Cheruiyot (Kenya) won the 1,500m in 3:34.31, by @stuartweir photos taken on @worldathletics, @euroathletics, #theshoeaddicts, #runblogrun, pic.twitter.com/FULPWRXYY4
— RunBlogRun (@RunBlogRun) October 3, 2020

Timothy Cheruiyot has always been the man to beat in the men’s 1500m and today he again showed his class by taking to the front just after the pace setter dropped out and maintaining the lead to win the race ahead of Kumari Taki. Abel Kipsang came in third. Their finishing times were 3:34.31, 3:35.00 and 3:35:43 respectively.

Ethiopia’s Lemlem Hailu caused a huge upset for the Kenyan fans in the women’s 1500m after she relegated Winny Chebet to second and Mercy Cherono to third places.

An exciting battle happened between Leornard Bett and Abraham Kibiwott in the men’s 3000m Steeplechase race in which Kibiwott pulled out a surprise kick to outsprint Bett in the last 50 meters and emerged victorious.

After being beaten by Hyvin Kiyeng at the Berlin continental tour, Beatrice Chepkoech got a chance to reciprocate in the women’s 3000m race. Chepkoech made sure it was a hard run almost from the beginning. The rest of the field followed her in a single file as she went ahead to win the race in a comfortable margin of 9:29.05. Kiyeng followed in 9:34.07 ahead of Roseline Chepngetich in 9:46.14.

Kip Keino Classic, Nairobi, Kenya, 3 October 2020, The 3000m steeplechase won by Beatrice Chepkoech (Kenya) 9:29.06, photo 3, by @stuartweir photos taken on @worldathletics, @euroathletics, #theshoeaddicts, #runblogrun pic.twitter.com/0vQ4lUZ70E
— RunBlogRun (@RunBlogRun) October 3, 2020

There was a dramatic finish in the men’s 5000m race between Kenya’s Mathew Kimeli and Ethiopia’s Berihu Aregawi. Aregawi made attempts to overtake Kimeli, but Kimeli held on strongly to his lead in the inside lane. The hard fight was won by Kimeli in 13:08.32 against Aregawi’s 13:08.91.

Ferguson Rotich confirmed that he was back in good shape by winning the men’s 800m race after leading with about 300m to go. He won it in 1:44.78 ahead of Australia’s Joseph Deng in 1:45.21.

The women’s 800m race went to Bahrain’s Nelly Jepkosgei who won it in 2:02.07 ahead of Kenya’s Eunice Sum who came to finish strongly in 2:03.73 to take the second position.

Congratulations Nelly Jepkosgei for your victory in the Women’s 800M race. That was an excellent performance ðŸ‘ @KipKeinoClassic #SafaricomAthletics #ContinentalTourGold pic.twitter.com/yf1LYBbuIG
— Safaricom PLC (@SafaricomPLC) October 3, 2020

Author

Justin Lagat
Since 2013, Justin Lagat has written for RunBlogRun. His weekly column is called A view from Kenya. Justin writes about the world of Kenyan athletics on a weekly basis and during championships, provides us additional insights into the sport.
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