Quantcast
Channel: Features Archives - Capital Sports
Viewing all 13701 articles
Browse latest View live

‘Eldoret Express’ revs for gold

$
0
0

JEPKOSGEI-OSAKANAIROBI, Kenya, May 7 – Former World 800m champion Janeth Jepkosgei is aiming to mark her return to the international stage by winning her third gold medal for Kenya at inaugural IAAF World Relays Championship in Bahamas.

Jepkosgei famously known as ‘Eldoret Express’ will partner World champion Eunice Sum, Kenya Prisons runner Sylvia Chesebe, former World Youth winner, Cherono Koech, Agatha Jeruto, and Miriam Chepkemoi in the women 4x800m at the global showpiece that runs May 24 and 25.

“Everyone is taking this championship seriously and for me it’s something different in my career so we are looking forward for the event and hoping to perform well.

“It’s also easier for us since we are doing the 800m that I’m used to, we just need to work hard in training and to prepare like any other championship.

“We have a strong team for example in my team the ladies are well prepared and the good thing is that we have worked together for long, so we are going for the win and if a record comes we will appreciate,” Jepkosgei who won the 2007 Osaka World Championship, told Capital Sport on Wednesday.

Jepkosgei expects stiff competition from Russia, USA and Great Britain and departed the country Wednesday with Jeruto and Africa Cross Country champion Faith Chepng’etich for the IAAF Diamond League opener in Doha Qatar on Friday.

Two time 1500m World Champion, Asbel Kiprop, commonwealth winner Silas Kiplagat, 1500m women World bronze medallist Hellen Obiri and 5000m World silver medalist Mercy Cherono are among the 16 who also left the camp for Doha on Tuesday.

At the same, the men 4x 200m sprinters team that comprises of Stephen Baraza, Walter Moenga, Boniface Khagai, Stanley Kieti and Said Ruto, has sent a warning to their competitors not to underrate them.

“Its not that we are over confidence but this is our time to prove to the world that we are able. We will be there and we are going to make a bold statement.

“We want the world to recognize us and in whatever means we are going to be a pain to all other teams since our aim is to reach the finals because we have to take Kenya where it was.

“It’s possible since we are in good shape, the training is good and it’s upon us to perform. We are optimistic and we hope for the best,” 200m runner Moenga expressed.

The team was earlier omitted only to be brought in later after Athletics Kenya bowed to pressure.

Head coach Sammy Rono, said morale is high at the camp and they are looking forward to lay a mark at the maiden event but at the same time he will approach the championship cautiously.

“We don’t want to underrate anyone but we have a good team that is capable of registering good results.

“Today we did some drills since it was our second day and for the 4x800m and 4x 1500m both men and women we don’t have much to do since they are experienced its only getting the speed work and endurance,” Rono stated.

“For the sprinters we are concentrating on them since we will be facing very good teams like the host, USA, Jamaica so it will be very competitive but if we reach semi-final it will be okay with me,” the coach added on sprinters.

The team of 30 is expected to depart on May 17th for Bahamas.


Age cheating rocks Africa Youth Trials

$
0
0

ROSEFELINE-CHEPNGETICHNAIROBI, Kenya, May 8 – There was drama at the Africa Youth Games trials on Thursday after Africa Cross junior silver medallist, Andrew Lorot, was barred from competing over age cheating claims.

Lorot, who was preparing to run the boys’ 3000m race, suffered the shock when the vetting panel withdrew him over discrepancies in his identification documents that were found to differ from the one he presented at the selection event for last year’s IAAF World Youth Games where he was also disqualified.

Competition Director and the chairman of the Athletics Kenya (AK) vice-president in charge of youth; Lt. General (Rtd) Jackson Tuwei, went on to warn athletes who were selected for the Botswana continental showdown in Gaborone, they risk facing the axe since vetting will continue even when they will be in camp.

“We had problems of identifying the correct age of athletes and today we came across two issues on age cheating. But I urge officials and athletes to avoid cheating since vetting will continue even if they are in camp.

“We will scrutinize their documents because we will follow up with their school and ministry of Education until we are satisfied that what they presented is correct but if we find out one has cheated, we will not hesitate from pulling him or her from the team since we have done it before,” Tuwei stated.

This led the AK Nairobi Branch that entered Lorot in the event to pen a protest letter to the jury of appeal, claiming the Form 2 student from Riruta Satellite Secondary school was illegible to compete since he used the same documents to run at the Kampala Africa Cross in Uganda this year where he took home the men’s 8km individual second medal in 22:50.19 as well as the team gold for Kenya.

“This has been a trend since it’s is not the first time they are denying athletes from Nairobi and we are saying it should stop and if they are not going to reinstate him we are going to court.

“The said athlete had all the necessary document to enable him be enrolled for the trials and I was surprised to hear the vetting panel say they disqualified him since he presented different document that he produced last year, concluding that he was overage,” part of the protest letter signed by branch Secretary General and national Race walking head coach, George Kariuki read.

Meanwhile, 2000m steeple chase World Youth girls’ champion Rosefeline Chepng’etich was among 14 athletes selected for Gaborone games that will run from May 22 to 31.

The team will head to camp next week and are set to depart on May 17.

The Championships will be used as qualifiers for the Youth Olympics Games that will be held in ‎Nanjing, China from Aug 16 to 28.

Selected team

200m – Maureen Thomas and Geofrey Kiprotich

400m – Purity Chepkoech and Ian Mutuku

400m Hurdles- Geoffrey Kipng’etich

800m – Agnes Mulee and Anthony Kiptoo

1500m – Winfred Mbithe and Gilbert Kwemoi

2000m s/c – Rosfline Chepng’etich and Amos Kirui

300m – Jackline Chepkoech and Moses Koech

Tripple Jump – Joptang Kipyego.

Wakiihuri: Coaching 1st Lady to history

$
0
0

WAKIIHURI-FIRST-LADY-2NAIROBI, Kenya, April 28 – “I had to get unfit for the First Lady to be fit!” was how former world marathon champion, Douglas Wakiihuri laughed off his latest achievement in a stellar career, crafting the history making London Marathon finish by First Lady Ms Margaret Kenyatta last month.

While the spouse of President Uhuru Kenyatta received worldwide acclaim and acres of newspaper space and airtime on local media outlets, Wakiihuri, 50, receded to the background as he embarked on one of the most difficult jobs in the sport.

On April 13, he was able to add another feather in his glittering cap in the sport when Ms Kenyatta crossed the line to become the first holder of her office in the world to complete the classic 42.195km distance in London.

His list of pioneer achievements is staggering; first Kenyan to win the world marathon title (1987) a record that remained for 20 years, first Kenyan winner of the London Marathon (1989), first Kenyan winner of the New York Marathon (1990), first Kenyan Commonwealth marathon champion (1990) and first Kenyan Olympics marathon medallist in 1988 (silver).

Of course, he was also the first Kenyan runner to feature in a television advert when he endorsed the Nissan Sahara pick-up in the early 90s as well as dropping a few musical albums.

Never afraid to sail uncharted waters, Wakiihuri took up a job that few would have cherished, that of coaching a soon to turn 50 year-old woman with no prior athletics experience and turn her into a finisher of the toughest race on earth in less than six months.

And this was no ordinary lady; it was none other than the titular mother of the nation who came along with a group of aides and security staff who also had to get fit and run the distance alongside their boss.

Personally, it also gave him a chance to return to the course he conquered 25 years earlier not to compete as a Masters runner but to ensure his athlete got to the line, slow stride by slow stride, an arduous task for someone used to run hard even at 50.

The start

When Ms Kenyatta’s Communications boss, Maina Kigaga, through aides reached out to the retired legend with the job proposal last October, Wakiihuri weighed the gravity of the tough job ahead but his reputed urge to make history soon drove him to accept.

“At first I could not believe they had settled on me, we have many coaches in this country and when they told me what they wanted, I had to draw a unique programme since this was a first time runner and the sensitive nature of her position,” Wakiihuri told Capital Sport.

After months of meticulous preparations Ms Kenyatta crossed the finish line in 7:05:38 to crown what captured the hearts of many locally and abroad as she chose to use Kenya’s best sporting export to raise awareness and funds for her ‘Beyond Zero’ campaign to support maternal health care by stocking all 47 counties in the country with mobile clinics.

“Indeed, she went beyond zero to achieve her objective. She was very driven and motivated and as her coach, I’m proud to have been involved in her noble charity work. It is not easy even for an elite runner to prepare for the marathon, let alone a lady approaching 50,” Wakiihuri enthused.

WAKIIHURI-FIRST-LADY“For that sacrifice I ran the slowest marathon in my life which was an experience I never thought I will do but all in all, my main aim was to see the team cross the finishing line unlike seeing an experienced athlete trying to get the job done.

“I never thought I will go back to London not to compete but to run for fan,” the 50 year-old legend added.

The First Lady is seeking Sh500m (USD 5,753,742m) to fund the initiative that seeks to end maternal and infant mortality in the country.

“It’s one of the rare dreams that any athlete could have and through what I have been doing in marathons it’s was an opportunity that came along and I took it whole heartedly.

“I remember when we started one kilometre was a very long journey where we used to cover in 45 minutes but eventually we improved.

“This enabled her run the half marathon on March 9 and that was the main break through since it was the first time she was running, she opted to try it and she did it in 3:35:00,” Wakiihuri narrated.

“At that point we had done 95Km in training when we went for Sagana for one week camp,” the 1990 New York champion explained.

He was referring to inaugural the First Lady Half Marathon that ran in Nairobi on March 9 where amid tight security and chaos at the end when she was joined by the Head of State, Ms Kenyatta covered the 21km course borrowed from the Sotokoto Nairobi International Marathon that Wakiihuri is the Race Director.

Obiri, Kiprop records illuminate Doha

$
0
0

OBIRI-DOHA-RECORD-2NAIROBI, Kenya, May 9- Worlds 1500m bronze winner, Hellen Obiri, uncorked a storming African, Diamond League, meet and national record as well as the fifth fastest mark of all time in the women 3000m of 8:20.68 to give Kenyans a memorable night to behold during Friday’s star-studded opening 2014 IAAF Diamond League meeting in Doha.

Olympic and world champion, Ezekiel Kemboi, dazzled the crowd with his showmanship whilst leading eight compatriots to the line in the men’s steeple while world champions, Eunice Sum and Asbel Kiprop chalked resounding victories in the women 800m and men 1500m races at the glittering Qatar Sports Complex.

Deploying his long strides in fantastic fashion, Kiprop, 24, earned sweet revenge over London 2012 winner, Taoufik Makhloufi of Algeria with the added gloss of penning his name in record books as the first six finishers crossed the line in under 3:31 for the first time in history in a world leading 3:29.18.

Obiri blasts to history books

With glittering performances from the star-studded global cast on the track and field, World Indoors silver medallist Obiri stole the thunder and stormed to record books when she caused a huge upset in motoring to a sensational victory in the women 3000m to fittingly crown the action packed programme.

Billed as a procession for Ethiopia’s Genzebe Dibaba; the bristling talent that set three world indoor records before beating Obiri to gold at the Poland World Indoors in March, the winner and compatriot Mercy Cherono eased past the favourite with 300m to go and revved up the afterburners in an internal mad dash for the line.

The vastly experienced Obiri pulled away from the Worlds 5000m silver medallist over the last 50m to stop the clock at the astonishing 8:20.68 as Cherono took the pride of second in 8:21.14, a huge PB.

Two-time World Junior gold medallist and Africa Cross senior women champion, Faith Chepng’etich Kipyegon continued her roaring introduction to senior racing with another lifetime best of 8:23.55 to seal the podium sweep for her nation in a race where a jaw-dropping 14 athletes ran lifetime bests!

Despairing Genzebe who lead from three laps to go, fizzled out to finish sixth in 8:26.21, as she became the biggest scalp in Doha.

OBIRI-RECORD-DOHAImmediately after the race, an ecstatic Noah Ngeny, the Sydney 2000 Olympics winner and coach to Obiri told Capital Sport that the 25 year-old Kenya Defence Forces athlete would go on to break the world record in the seven and a half lap distance.

“Obiri is just phenomenal and that was just a demonstration of what she is capable of. It’s still May and I believe she will set the world record sooner of later.

“The 3000m is really her event although she does well in 5000m and 1500m, what we saw tonight (Friday) is a result of the focus we have placed on her training,” Ngeny gushed.

“There is no secret about her rise. Hellen has been doing so well in training and following all what she is being asked to do. That is the secret, the focus on training. She will certainly be the top female track athlete in her event in the next two years, watch out!” he added on the Pace Management runner.

Resurgent former World Junior champion, Viola Kibiwott made it a Kenyan 1 to 4 in 8:24.41 to round off a good evening’s work as World Indoors finalist, Irene Jelagat, fell off the pace to finish seventh in 8:28.51.

Obiri, Chepng’etich, Cherono and Jelagat are in the country’s team for the inaugural IAAF World Relay Championships in Bahamas with the squad keen on shattering their own world record* of 17:05.8 they set at the April 26 National Trials in Nairobi.

Her record-setting victory earned her four Diamond Race points to take the early initiative as Obiri put together a mirror performance of her astonishing victory over Genzebe’s compatriot, Meseret Defar, at the 2012 World Indoors Championships in Istanbul that snapped a four-title winning streak and catapulted her to global notice.

The race started at world record pace before as expected, Genzebe went out ahead with 1200m to go but Obiri and Cherono had other ideas after keeping close to the frontrunner and sensing she was running out of gas, they seized the moment to overtake her on the outside before pressing down the pedal to chase and ultimately land the glory.

Chinese athletes led by world record holder, Wang Junxia (8:06.11), Qu Yunxia (8:12.18), Zhang Linli (8:16.50) and Ma Liyan (8:19.78) from their country’s National Games of 1993 in Beijing are ahead of Obiri in the all-time list and 12 years have elapsed since the athlete whom she replaced as No 5, Romanian legend, Gabriella Szabo, ran the European record of 8:21.42 at the 2002 Herculis meet in Monaco.

Kemboi seals it with a jig

Two-time Olympics and three-time Worlds men 3000m steeplechase king, Ezekiel Kemboi, trounced a deep field in ‘Kenya’s Race’ where the country’s athletes occupied the top eight positions behind his 2014 best of 8:04.12.

Once again, the Athens and London Olympics gold medallist proved to be the tactical master over his local rivals as he broke away with 250m to go, sailed over the final water jump before beginning his victory celebrations after clearing the last barrier on the homestretch.

Waving his arms to wide acclaim from the crowd, Kemboi soon realised Brimin Kipruto, the man he supplanted as Olympics and Worlds titleholder and circuit speedster, Paul Kipsiele Koech were breathing down his neck.

He responded by nonchalantly shifting another gear to pull away and clinch the bragging rights as the steeple king before launching into another of his amusing jigs.

Kipruto (8:04.64) and Kipsiele (8:05.47) shared the podium with the man who notched his third victory in Doha as he had promised on Wednesday.

Jairus Kipchoge (8:07.37), Hillary Kipsang (8:09.07), Gilbert Kiplangat (8:11.86), Olympics bronze medallist and African champion, Abel Mutai (8:17.77) and Bernard Mbugua (8:23.41) rounded off the top eight for Kenya in the very definition of total dominance.

Kenya in Australia Main Cup date

$
0
0

INJERA-SAMOANAIROBI, Kenya, May 10- Kenya will face Australia in the Main Cup quarters after squeezing their way through to the last eight for the second successive time at the season ending HSBC World Series leg of London 7s on Saturday.

A tense 17-17 draw with surprise Scotland 7s beaten finalists Canada saw Kenya finish second in Pool B and earn a ticket to the main competition against Pool C winners Australia after beating USA and losing narrowly to favourites Samoa in their opening two fixtures.

Paul Treu’s charges took a 12-5 lead into half time in their last tie against Canada courtesy of tries from Mike Agevi and Billy Odhiambo alongside a Mike Wanjala conversion. Canada scored through John Moonlight.

Second half action saw Kenya concede a try, Justin Douglas making it 12-12. Sean Duke saw Canada go 17-12 up but Felix Ayange’s try levelled things, setting up the quarter final berth against Australia at 12.50pm local time (+3GMT) on Sunday.

A 19-12 defeat to Samoa in their second Pool B fixture at the London Sevens meant Kenya had to beat or hold the side that lost the Scotland 7s Main Cup to the New Zealand All Blacks last weekend.

Samoa were quick off the mark, going 5-0 up when Lio Lolo broke loose to touch down after just 21 seconds of play.
Mike Wanjala would soon visit the sin bin for a professional foul, the Samoans capitalizing on this to land their
second when Fautua Otto grounded with Tulolo Tulolo converting to see Pacific Islanders go 12-0 up.

Kenya would start to see more of the ball, visiting Samoan territory and putting their first points on the board when Collins Injera grounded, Biko Adema missing the conversion with the score at 12-5.

Adema would convert Billy Odhiambo’s try on the stroke of half time to square things at 12-12.

The second half was a close contest, Kenya just shading it in terms of possession. They would turnover possession,
Tulolo converting Tila Mealoi’s try for a 19-12 lead that they held right to full time.

Kenya began their London campaign by rallying from 0-5 to defeat the USA 22-5 in their opening Pool B encounter.

Despite dominating possession and territory, Kenya were unable to breach the American’s defence, poor handling their biggest undoing.

They were punished towards the stroke of half time, Danny Barrett grounding to put USA 5-0. Kenya’s response as immediate, Patrice Agunda’s try ensuring the sides were level 5-5 at half time.

Billy Odhiambo would give Kenya the lead, showing his marker a clean pair of heels to touch down with Biko Adema converting for a 12-5 score. Incessant Kenya pressure saw them force the USA into infringements, Humphrey Kayange having the presence of mind to score a try off a quickly taken penalty, Kenya 17-5 up.

Substitute Mike Agevi would play in elder brother injera with a sublime grubber that he grounded to seal the result for Kenya.

-By Kenya Rugby Union

Bogey side SA deny Kenya Plate glory

$
0
0

SHUJAA-CANADANAIROBI, Kenya, May 11- Once again Paul Treu’s former employers South Africa denied Kenya the chance to finish a largely underwhelming campaign with the Plate trophy by beating them 7-38 in the final as the 2013/14 HSBC World Sevens Series wrapped up in London on Sunday.

Treu ended the campaign without qualifying for the Main Cup semis he so much craved in the last two rounds in Scotland and London as yet again, his charges fell at the final hurdle in their second successive final after losing to England in Scotland last week.

Earlier in an action packed day, Shujaa paid for a poor start after going down to 5-12 to Australia in their London 7s Main Cup quarterfinal.

The South African who took charge in January after the team had gone through three of the nine rounds can however, look back at the last two legs that have offered him hope as he embarks on preparing for the 2014/15 World Series that will act as a qualifier for the 2016 Rio Olympics, the showpiece he was hired on a lucrative contract to lead Kenya to the first medal outside athletics and boxing.

New Zealand won the 2014 Marriott London 7s, beating trans-Tasman rivals Australia 52-33 in the final thanks to 22 points from Gillies Kaka having earlier trailed 21-0 in a roaring comeback as they confirmed their supremacy in the short version of the game yet again.

By winning the ninth and final round of the Series the All Blacks 7s had extra cause for celebration having already secured a 12th Series title in 15 years on day one.

In the Plate final, Seabelo Senatla scored his 11th, 12th and 13th tries of the London 7s to help South Africa win the Plate by beating Kenya 38-7 in the final.

By doing so, Senatla is only the third player in the history of Sevens to score 13 or more tries in a tournament and the first since the 2005 Paris Sevens.

Billy Odhiambo scored the only try for Kenya with Biko Adema converting close to the end of the first half that ended with the Blitzbokke, who have beaten their former boss six times this season, went to the break 7-17 to the good.

In the semi finals Kenya beat France 28-19 before Senatla completed a first hat-trick of the day in a 24-17 win for South Africa against Samoa, having trailed 17-0, a result which confirmed they would finish the season second overall behind New Zealand.

In the Main Cup quarters, Veteran Humphrey Kayange gave Paul Treu’s side hope when he grounded with over 5 minutes of the second half to go but Kenya were turned over cheaply as Australia held on to the slim victory.

It was not the best start for the Kenyans as Tom Lucas intercepted a pass from Michael Agevi on the half-way line to sprint clear for the first score of the game.

The in-form Sam Myers soon sprinted over for his sixth try of the weekend as Australia danced through Kenya’s defence.

Billy Odhiambo came so close to reducing the deficit by five in an extended final play but desperate Australia defending ensured they had a double-digit lead at the intervals they went in 12-0 to the good.

After the restart, Kayange hot footed the ball down down the right flank after a suspiciously-looking forward pass to give Kenya an all-important first score but the conversion was missed.

It remained a single converted try game as Kenya sat tight in their defence too and with Australia losing out in the breakdown.

Somehow, they manage to hold on, with Kenya looking for that one final break that never came as they advanced to meet England for a place in the final as Kenya set up a clash against France.

Kenya squeezed through the Main Cup quarters on Saturday after holding Scotland 7s finalists, Canada to a 17-17 draw following an opening match win against USA and a narrow loss to Samoa in their opening two games.

City rule EPL, United out of Europe

$
0
0

NASRI-TITLELONDON, May 11- Manchester City secured a second Premier League title in three seasons by comfortably defeating West Ham United 2-0 at a jubilant Etihad Stadium on Sunday.

City effectively needed only a point to claim the championship ahead of Liverpool, but goals in each half from Samir Nasri and Vincent Kompany meant that they completed their mission with room to spare.

Victory took City’s goals tally to 102 — one short of Chelsea’s Premier League record from 2009-10 — and made Chilean Manuel Pellegrini the first non-European manager to win an English top-flight title.

Liverpool, who led the table with three games to play, finished two points below City in second place after coming from behind to win 2-1 at home to Newcastle United, who had Shola Ameobi and Paul Dummett sent off.

David Silva, Sergio Aguero and Aleksandar Kolarov all threatened for City before Nasri put them ahead in the 39th minute, gathering a pass from Yaya Toure and arrowing a 22-yard drive into the bottom-left corner.

West Ham striker Andy Carroll deflected a shot from Silva onto the post in first-half stoppage time, before Kompany doubled City’s lead early in the second half by stabbing home from a corner.

The home fans celebrated with their customary ‘Poznan’ dance — bouncing up and down with their backs to the game — and then flooded onto the pitch in delight at the final whistle.

Liverpool went into their last game of the campaign with a slim hope of winning a first league title since 1990, but they fell behind in the 20th minute when Martin Skrtel sliced Yoan Gouffran’s cross into his own net.

However, carbon-copy goals by Daniel Agger and Daniel Sturridge, both of whom volleyed in Steven Gerrard free-kicks, turned the game around in the space of two minutes in the second half.

Agger’s goal was Liverpool’s 100th in the league and made this the first English top-flight season in which two teams have reached that milestone since 1960-61.

- United miss out on Europe -

Tottenham Hotspur secured the last available Europa League berth by crushing Aston Villa 3-0 through a Paulinho strike, a Nathan Baker own goal and an Emmanuel Adebayor penalty, all of which arrived before half-time.

Spurs’ victory means that Manchester United will not play in Europe next season for the first time since 1989-90.

United drew 1-1 at Southampton in Ryan Giggs’s final game as interim manager, which saw last season’s champions finish 22 points below cross-town rivals City in seventh place after a miserable campaign.

United captain Nemanja Vidic, playing his last game for the club, was left with a bloodied nose by Ricky Lambert as the Southampton striker put the hosts in front in the 28th minute.

Juan Mata equalised for United with a sumptuous free-kick early in the second half.

Norwich City’s relegation was confirmed after they lost 2-0 at home to Arsenal, although they were already practically assured of joining Fulham and Cardiff City in the Championship.

Aaron Ramsey’s sublime 53rd-minute volley put Arsenal ahead, with Carl Jenkinson adding a second goal shortly after.

Arsenal’s FA Cup final opponents Hull City finished the campaign by losing 2-0 at home to fifth-place Everton, who prevailed through goals from James McCarthy and Romelu Lukaku.

Third-place Chelsea, meanwhile, came from behind to win 2-1 at relegated Cardiff, with Andre Schurrle and Fernando Torres securing victory after Craig Bellamy had put the Welsh club ahead.

Ashley Cole, whose contract is due to expire, captained Chelsea on what may have been his last appearance.

Elsewhere, Swansea City spoilt Sunderland’s survival party with a 3-1 win at the Stadium of Light, while Stoke City won 2-1 at West Bromwich Albion and Fulham drew 2-2 at home to Crystal Palace.

Semenya to marry girlfriend

$
0
0

SEMENYA-2DURBAN, South Africa, May 12- South African Olympic silver medallist, Caster Semenya, is set to marry her girlfriend, according to a news report.

The Daily Sun reported that the 23-year-old athlete had sent her parents to girlfriend Violet Raseboya’s family in Polokwane to negotiate lobola.

The report said that both families were happy with the negotiations.

Semenya’s family will reportedly pay R25 000 (Sh250,000) for Raseboya’s hand in marriage.

Semenya was embroiled in a controversial gender testing row following her victory in the 800m at the 2009 IAAF World Championships in Berlin.

The athlete bounced back from the controversy to claim a silver medal in the 800m event at the 2012 Olympic Games.

Raseboya is also an athlete.

-By iAfrica


Kenyan born Origi to play in Brazil WC

$
0
0

DIVOCK-ORIGINAIROBI, Kenya 13th May – Striker Divock Origi, son of Harambee Star’s legendary striker Mike Okoth, has been named in Belgium’s 24-man squad to play in the World Cup next month.

Born on 18 April 1995, Divock will be the first Kenyan born player to play in a World Cup having already been capped at Belgium’s U15 and U16 sides and recently got an elevation with his first game with the Belgian U17 squad in a tie against Montenegro.

The 19 year old who ply’s his trade as a attacking striker at French side Lille , started his career at RC Genk, where his father helped them in winning the Belgian Jupiler league in the 2001/2002 season.

He will play along side Manchester City Captain, Vincent Kompany, Romelu Lukaku, Eden Hazard, Marouane Fellaini.

Belgium are in Group H along with Fabio Capello’s Russia, South Korea and Algeria.

Historic routes for Nakuru KCB Rally

$
0
0

lmNAIROBI, Kenya May 14 – Fast paced 25 hair pin corners, a long 35Km competitive section and mind boggling scenic views will be some of the highlights in the next round of the KCB Nation Rally Championship set to be held in the Kerio Valley on the 24th of May 2014.

The rally dubbed the KCB Mtaani Eldama Ravine Rally and organized by Rift Valley Motor & Sports Club (RVM&SC) will see two old historic stages make up the fourth round of the season.

Speaking on behalf of Clerk of the Course and Safari Rally veteran Frank Tundo at the media briefing Tuesday at the KCB headquarters in Nairobi, rally aficionado and veteran navigator Abdul Sidi shared the planned route for the day.

“From the start at Eldama Ravine we go 40kms down into the Kerio to a place called Tugumoi down to the very bottom-the main Tenges Florspar road we go in there and that’s where the first stage is. The second stage is an old stage that has not been used for the last 40 years. There should be no tracks or anything on it.

Sidi added that several stages will make the rally even more appealing for the drivers and will be repeated.

“Then we come to Florspar which is really amazing rally-wise and driver-wise. We will repeat the first stage and do another stage that we did 40years ago then come up at Flourspar for the second time. We got a short spectator stage near service that will be run twice,” said Frank.

KCB the title sponsor of the long running championship were at hand to usher in the fourth round of the series.

Speaking at the briefing Marketing and Communications Director Angela Mwirigi said;

“KCB has for years taken initiative to support the sport in a venture to nurture talent and develop the sport at all levels. So far the bank has invested cumulatively over Sh440 million in the sport since 2003 as title sponsor,” she said.

Mwirigi said that the KCB brand resonates well with motorsport both locally and regionally.

Weather condiotions

It’s anticipated that this will be a very wet rally and drivers will have to prepare adequately.

Speaking at the same function, three-time KNRC champion, Azar Anwar who celebrated his 60th birthday today said that mud compound tyres will be key to success in the rally.

“I love Nakuru rally because this was the event where I recorded my first KNRC victory 20 years ago when it was called Sanyo 2000, meaning 2000km,” he said during a briefing at the KCB Headquarters in Nairobi yesterday.

RVMC will run the routes around the world famous Kerio Valley stage at Flouspar which was synonymous with the WRC Safari Rally when world- famous drivers would be compelled to make countless hairpin bends on massive escarpment drops.

KCB Eldama Ravine branch will be the location for the official start on 24th Saturday where the Baringo Governor Hon. Benjamin Cheboi will flag off the rally cars from 7am as they head to tackle the competitive sections laid out in the Baringo and Elgeyo Markwet counties.

After flag-off, the rally traffic will then head 40kms towards Eldoret, Kerio valley, Fluorspar, Kinwogo forest region and into the only service of the day at Kamwosor service park.

The rally is scheduled to end at around 3pm where the Governor of Elgeyo Markwet Hon. Alex Tolgos will preside over the finish.

Photo by Simon Mulumba (CMONCY IMAGES)

Amrouche claims role in Origi switch

$
0
0

ADEL-AMROUCHENAIROBI, Kenya, May – 14 Harambee Stars head coach Adel Amrouche, alleges he played a role in Kenyan born Divock Origi declaring for Belgium ahead of his selection in the country’s provisional squad for the Brazil World Cup.

The French Ligue 1 Lille forward will be the first player of Kenyan heritage to play in the Mundial having decided to pledge his international career to the nation of his birth and has represented Belgium at the Under 15 and 16 sides.

Origi, a son of retired Harambee Stars striker and former record scorer, Mike Origi Okoth, was recently promoted to Belgium’s Under 17 squad in their tie against Montenegro and his elevation is now complete after featuring in coach Marc Wilmot’s World Cup plan.

“If I had a player like Origi I could be the happiest man but I was with the Belgium head coach in the last coaching course in Germany and we talked about the player. Maybe I persuaded him indirectly to consider him for World Cup because I told him if he does not select him I will give him 100 percent opportunity to play for Kenya.

“But I think it’s a personal choice and I respect his decision since I don’t think he did not like his country because his father played for Kenya. We can get another Origi here, so I hope I will work together with youth coaches to bring players in the likes of Dennis Oliech, Macdonald Mariga, Jamal Mohamed and Victor Wanyama because we cannot reach the standards of Origi,” Amrouche who compared Origi with Ivory Coast forward Didier Drogba stated.

On his part, former captain and AC Ajaccio striker Oliech who supplanted his father as Kenya’s record international goal scorer congratulated him.

“I’m happy for him, I know he is capable and he deserved the call up since he has all the qualities.

“We have played together in France and what I can say is only to wish him all the best,” Oliech whose side were relegated as Lille qualified for the Champions League underscored.

The 19 year-old began his professional career at Racing Genk, where his father helped the club win the Belgian Jupiler league in 2001/02 season.

The forward has so far scored five goals for Lille this season and his call up to the national team means he has the chance to line-up alongside stalwarts such as Manchester City Captain Vincent Kompany, on loan Everton striker Romelu Lukaku, Chelsea midfielder Eden Hazard, Manchester United’s Marouane Fellaini and Arsenal defender and captain Thomas Vermaelen.

Belgium are in Group H alongside Fabio Capello’s Russia, South Korea and Algeria.

Obiri steals the march at KDF meet

$
0
0

OBIRI-DOHA-RECORD-2NAIROBI, Kenya, May 15- Having stormed to record books last Friday at the opening IAAF Diamond League meeting in Doha, Worlds bronze medallist, Hellen Obiri, took pride of place by emerging the undisputed star of the 35th Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) Championships that wound up in Nairobi on Thursday.

Obiri, 24, successfully defended her women 800m and 1500m double before helping her Laikipia Airbase team to the third medal in the 4X400m with one eye on the inaugural IAAF World Championships in Bahamas where she is part of the 4X1500m squad.

Other highlights from the three-day affair held at Nairobi’s Safaricom Stadium included a new National Record in the women’s High jump of 1.75m leaped by Caroline Cherotich on Wednesday.

World Half Marathon women’s champion Gladys Cherono was peerless as she easily held on to her 5000m and 10000m crowns as Olympics steeplechase bronze winner, Abel Mutai, three-peated in his speciality.

Momentum builds for Obiri

The dust has hardly settled after the barnstorming 8:20.68 AR, NR, MR and fifth fastest of all time unfurled by the Laikipia Airbase (LAB) based Corporal Hellen Obiri in Doha over 3000m before she returned home to command the headlines again on Thursday.

Obiri easily raced to the 800m and 1500m crowns without breaking sweat with the clocks returning 2:00.6 and 4:10.0 in that order before she anchored her LAB team to finish third in the 4X400m relay in 3:53.1.

She completed a commanding 4 second victory over Sela Jepleting (2:04.4) over two laps before out-haring the same closest challenger in the longer event by 5 seconds (4:15.0).

The World Indoors silver winner immediately shifted her focus to once again append her name in history by helping her nation’s 4X1500m quartet to improve on their own 17:05.8 WR* in Bahamas even though she was not part of it when it was run at the April 26 Trials having been given as wildcard to the event.

“I’m in pretty good shape and since we are travelling to Bahamas in a week’s time, it was important to keep it going. We have a strong team in the women 4x1500m and I promise Kenyans first the gold then world record,” the Istanbul 2012 World Indoor champion said.

She was coy whether she could break the long-standing 8:06.11 world record set by Wang Junxia in 1993 after her huge PB in 3000m in Doha by stating she would focus on establishing herself first in 1500m where she’s eyeing a slot in the Kenyan Commonwealth team.

“It has taken 20 years for such a time to be run and the record of 8:06 is very far. For now, to run 8:20 is hard but in future, it will broken by someone else if not myself.

“We knew Genzebe (Dibaba) had asked for a World Lead and we decided with Mercy Cherono who we have trained together in the national team camp to sit and wait.

“With 300m to go, we saw she was not running away and we went past and Cherono pushed me for 80m in the homestretch but I knew I’m good over the last 100m and I won. I believe I will be in better shape in another month and we shall see,” she added in recognition of her Doha bridesmaid and Worlds 5000m silver winner, Cherono.

Thika’s Edwin Kemboi (1:45.5) and former World Junior silver medallist, James Magut (3:40.4) prevailed in the men 800m and 1500m races in that order.

Cherono on the double

Having scaled to the World Half Marathon title in Copenhagen on March 29, Corporal Gladys Cherono who is also the Worlds silver winner over 10,000m broke no sweat when holding on to the long distance double.

Her assault started Wednesday when she held on to her 5000m crown in 16:49.8, stopping Lineth Chepkurui (16:52.1), the 2009 senior women World Cross fourth finisher before she retained the 25-lap title by out-sprinting the hard chasing 2013 Boston Marathon champion, Sharon Cherop (34:13.0 against 34:16.0) on Thursday.

The corresponding men’s races were shared between the 2008 World Cross senior bronze medallist, Vincent Kiprop Chepkok who won the 10,000m in 29:04.6 with John Chepkwony, the 2010 World Junior silver medallist dominating the distance in 13:37.8.

Mutai eyes break in

Surprise London Olympics steeplechase bronze winner, Abel Mutai, erased the disappointment of being forced down to seventh in the start-studded Doha DL meet where she clocked a year best 8:17.77 to win his third Forces title on the bounce in 8:35.0.

Fast finishing Wilson Maraba (8:35.6) and perennial challenger Abraham Chirchir (8:36.2) took the lesser medals.

With reigning Commonwealth and World Cup titleholder, Richard Mateelong, held back from action by long-term injury, Mutai is keen to break to break into the country’s steeplechase championship winning trio that includes two-time Olympics and three-time world champion, Ezekiel Kemboi and the man he supplanted from both crowns, Brimin Kipruto.

“It’s the third time to win and this is preparations for the Africa Championships and Commonwealth Games and wherever I’m selected, I will compete.

“The veterans are still competing and they have been there for long but I will try as hard as possible to get among them. For now, I’m still not into good shape and I’m training to get close to Kemboi and Brimin,” the African champion added.

Agnes Chesang (9:46.1) broke away from the challenge of 2008 World Juniors silver medallist, Elizabeth Mueni (10:02.0), to rule the roost in the women’s water and barriers race.

Bahamas warm-up for sprinters

With the inaugural World Relays in Bahamas only ten days away, KDF sprinters selected in the national team in the men 4x200m and 4x400m squads used the meet to gain some competitive shape.

Commonwealth 400m titleholder Mark Mutai (46.3) was humbled by Boniface Mucheru (45.2) his team-mate in the 4x400m Bahamas line-up as he failed to reclaim the crown he last won in 2011.

“I’m happy for finishing in a respectable position and with the training we have done, we are capable of doing very well and get into the final. We are ready for Bahamas since we have been in the finals of Commonwealth and Africa championships.
“The team of the young athletes we have will give us an edge and today, we have seen the individual performances. We are targeting 3:00 or less in Bahamas,” Mutai said.

“My plan of defending the Commonwealth title is in place and I’m hoping come June, I hope to be ready and have run 45.5,” he added.

Bahamas bound Walter Moenga clinched the men 100m and 200m double dashing to 10.3 and 21.2 victories.

“Today was my day. The KDF is more or less like the nationals and if you make it through here, you cannot get stuck. This was like a time trial and it is very stiff in camp since we are five in the team and only four will run,” Moenga, a Superintendent attached to Thika observed whilst revealing he was feeling the effects of a slight strain observed.

“We are going to take the sprinters to the same place as the middle distance runners,” he added.

High jump record

Lena Serem long standing national record of 1.70m set at the 1991 National Championships fell on Wednesday when Private Caroline Cherotich of Kahawa Garrison leapt to 1.75m.

The new mark will officially enter local history books when it is ratified by Athletics Kenya.

Wary Stars train guns at Comoros

$
0
0

STARS-ERITREANAIROBI, Kenya, May 16 – Harambee Stars head coach; Adel Amrouche, will not take chances when they host Comoros in the preliminary round first leg of 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers at Nairobi’s Nyayo National Stadium on Sunday.

The team was boosted by the arrival of Oman based Jamal Mohammed and MC Algier winger Edwin Lavatsa who joined other foreign players in Friday’s training.

The Belgian heaved a sigh of relief after his captain and English Premier League side Southampton midfielder, Victor Wanyama, his elder brother Macdonald Mariga and Belgium based duo of Ayub Timbe and Johanna Omolo arriving on Thursday.

However, after he expressed ‘annoyance’ with the late arrival of the overseas based players, midfielder Francis Kahata (KF Tirana/Albania) and Patrick Osiako (Azerbaijan) were yet to arrive by press time while US based Lawrence Olum simply ‘ignored’ his call-up.

With both sides having been forced to start the qualifiers in the preliminary stage due to poor FIFA rankings, Kenya sitting in 106 has an upper hand in the clash against their opponents who are 184th in the global rankings.

Amrouche wary

But that does not appear anywhere in Amrouche’s thoughts as he is adamant he will not underrate them, urging his charges to focus and be determined.

“We are taking one match at a time, our main objective is to win Sunday’s match and then think on the return leg. I’m happy to have a full house today and its now upon us to give our best since all the players are in good condition.

“I have told players to give their best and not disappoint the nation and the 40 million Kenyans, I want to call upon all fans to turn up in large numbers and cheer the team since they need the morale.

“We are playing at home and we should not let down our supporters,” Amrouche who will be looking to steer the country to the continental showpiece after a decade said.

The riddle of Amrouche’s starting line-up will be the key to unmask his intentions especially in midfield and upfront after Mariga returned following a three year absence with the likes of Timbe yet to play under him.

But he seems to invest faith on local based players who won him the Cecafa Senior Challenge Cup last December after giving most the call-up.

Missing Stars

With Norway first choice keeper Arnold Origi, missing in goal since he will is committed to his Lillestrom club and his understudy Duncan Ochieng (Sofapaka) injured, Bandari man, Wilson Obungu is the favourite to stand between the sticks.

At full back Tusker FC‘s Aboud Omar is likely to get the nod on the left, James Situma (AFC Leopards) on the right with David ‘Calabar’ Owino (Gor Mahia) and David Ochieng (Al Taawon/Saudi Arabia) the likely centre-half pairing.

Wanyama, Mohammed, Omolo, Anthony Akumu, Mariga and Lavatsa are the bets to marshal the midfield with Dennis Oliech (AJ Ajaccio/France) and Allan Wanga (AFC Leopards) the probable strikers.

With Amrouche boasting depth, his opposite number Amir Abdou, is a worried man with four key players expected to jet in match day, affording them little time to gel with their team mates.

Captain Nadjim Abdou who plays for English Championship side Millwall, cautioned Stars to expect a rough ride after proving their giant-killing credentials with their 1-1 draw against 2013 Afcon finalist Burkina Faso in a friendly.

“We are a young nation and team but we have come here to compete as well even though we expect a tough match.

“We have the quality and we will be playing for pride of our country and we want to achieve something as well. Kenya has good players I only know Wanyama whom I used to follow when he was a Celtic and Mariga they are good,” the midfielder told Capital Sport Friday after concluding their training at Nairobi’s City Stadium.

“We know Kenya is an experienced side and physically strong so we want to play our game at least different from what we played against Burkina Faso since this is a totally different side,” he added.

The Islanders who first entered qualification for the World Cup and Nations Cup for the 2010 will suffer a blow with the other notable player in the squad namely; France Ligue 2 Nantes’ Atlantique midfielder, Chaker Alhadhur held by his club.

Kenya will face the winner of the Liberia /Lesotho preliminary if they overcome Comoros over two legs and should they progress further, a place in Group C of the final pool qualifiers featuring Burkina Faso, Gabon and Angola awaits.

‘President’ Kiplang’at, Choge reign

$
0
0

ISAIAH-KIPLANGATNAIROBI, Kenya, May 17- A storming victory by Worlds 5000m bronze medallist, Isaiah Kiplang’at Koech and the mugging of World Indoor champion, Caleb Mwangangi by the fast finishing former Commonwealth champion, Augustine Choge spiced up the 2014 National Police Service Championships that concluded Saturday.

With Police luminaries such as Olympics champions, David Rudisha and Ezekiel Kemboi as well as Worlds titleholders, Eunice Sum, Asbel Kiprop, Edna Kiplagat and Milcah Chemos among others sitting out, the two-day annual meet held at Nairobi’s Safaricom Stadium under clear sunny skies was stripped of quality but certainly not entertainment.

However, Kiplangat and Choge, two distance runner quite capable of headlining meets across the world, showed up and collected handsome victories in the men 5000m and men 1500m before making bold predictions of their intentions for the season ahead.

Kiplang’at jails competition

As the events on the programme ticked down to an unassuming end, Kiplangat decided to illuminate proceedings when he unshackled himself from nearest competitor; 2010 World Half Marathon bronze winner, Sammy Kitwara and the rest of the finalists with four laps to go motor powerfully to the line unchallenged.

The showstopper who ran the world leading 13:29.05 at the Melbourne Challenge in February otherwise known in local circles as ‘Chairman’ but now ‘President’ due to sharing his name with the overlord of Athletics Kenya boss stopped the clock at 13:42.2 in his first outing this season to lay a benchmark for his 2014 assault.

“Winning the bronze medal last year in Moscow made me so delighted and it has opened many doors for me. Now, I want gold at the Commonwealth Games since I feel I should now step up.

“Today’s race was easy, not what I’m used to but now I know I’m in shape. I was also in good shape at London Olympics and I missed a medal. Last year I broke records indoors and when I went to Moscow, I got a medal and now I believe I have learnt how to run at championships,” Kiplangat, displaying the lack of self containment that characterised his early days as a junior protégée stated.

And he was not done as far as setting lofty targets in his bludgeoning career was concerned for the world junior 3000m indoor record holder from 2012 (7:32.81) as he set his sights on Kenenisa Bekele’s 12:37.35 5000m outdoors all time best.

“Last year, I ran 12:48 (.64) in Paris and I’m still young and improving. Who says I can’t get to 12:37? That is one of the goals I have set myself in training, to bring the 5000m world record to Kenya. That is something I’m looking forward to challenge this year and if I don’t get it, then the next,” the 20 year-old power-pack asserted.

Daniel Komen was the last Kenyan to hold the 12 and a half-lap race world record when he powered to 12:39.74 in Brussels on August 22, 1997 before it passed on to Ethiopian giants, Haile Gebrselassie (12:39.36) a year later then Bekele in 2004.

Choge arrests Mwangangi

MWANGANGI-GOLDWhen they assembled at the Sopot World Indoors in Poland last March, the veteran men 3000m silver medallist from Istanbul 2012, Augustine Choge, 27, was the main man and Caleb Mwangangi, a junior 1500m gold winner from 2010, the apprentice.

However, a gripping medal race brought the global title for the understudy who dyed his hair red as the master limped home in ninth.

The pair clashed over 1500m on Saturday at the Police meet and a repeat of the new order was eminent as they came round the final bend. However, with the finish in sight, Mwangangi in the inside lane could not respond to Choge who came storming in Lane 2 before pick-pocketing victory from him on the line with the hand-timed timers returning a verdict of 3:35.5 against 3:35.8 in the close finish.

“In Poland, I had trained to win the gold having won silver two years before but mentally, I was not there in the final and simple mistakes cost me but I was not so disappointed since the gold still came to Kenya and Caleb ran a great race.

“My aim now is to return to the Commonwealth and win again, in the 5000m since winning the title in 2006 is the best thing to happen in my career and I want to experience it again. I will still run 1500m races but I have realised I have a better chance in 5000m,” the Berlin Worlds fifth finisher in the Metric Mile declared.

“I did all I could, it was hot but today, he was better prepared and congratulations to him. Winning gold in Poland has made me want more and the celebration is over, I have seen the competition is tough so all I have to do is to train harder,” Ndiku magnanimously offered.

Abednego Chesebe (3:39.0), Robert Kaptingei (3:39.3) and world’s third fastest 3,000m steeplechaser runner Paul Kipsiele Koech (3:40.5) closed the top five.

“This is the year when I aim to run faster and who knows? Even bring home the world record back to Kenya. We have come close to Shaheen (Saif Saeed) and with focus, it can be done.

“I know my problem with high attitude when it comes to the Kenyan Trials but if I make it this year, I would cherish adding a Commonwealth medal to my bronze from Athens Olympics (2004) but having come here for speed work today, my biggest target remains ending the year as the fastest steeplechaser in the world,” Kipsiele who opened his season with a third finish (8:05.47) in Doha a week ago underlined.

His career best 7:54.31 is just over 32 hundredth of a second out of the former Stephen Cherono’s 7:53.62 standard bearer in the water and barriers race that has now rolled on into its decade since it was run in Brussels on September 3, 2004.

Kisa, Wangare shines

Africa Cross silver medallist, Janet Kisa (4:16.0) carried the women 1,500m title ahead of 2010 Commonwealth Youth Games silver winner Stacy Ndiwa (4:16.1) with Florence Korir (4:24.9) claiming the bronze.

Monica Wangare (34:13.7) shone in 10,000m beating Consolata Chemutai (34:22.1) and Sarah Kebasu (34:32.4). Chepng’eno Lang’at (34:44.5) and Mary Chemutai (35:12.4) closed the top four.

On Friday, World Half silver medallist, Mary Wacera claimed the women 5000m title in 6:22.0 ahead of Ndiwa who bagged her first silver of the meet in 16:22.3, beating Ann Wanjiru Karindi (16:31.0) to the third medal.

Josphat Bett struck gold in the men 10,000m with the 2008 World Junior crownholder stopping the clock in 28:36.2 as Peter Kirui, the athlete who paced Patrick Makau to the world marathon record in Berlin in 2011 and former World Junior champion, John Kemboi running 28:36.5 and 28:40.0 for the lesser medals in that order.

Arsenal end 9-year hurt with FA Cup

$
0
0

WENGER-CUPLONDON, May 17- Aaron Ramsey scored an extra-time winner as Arsenal ended their nine-year trophy drought by coming from two goals down to beat Hull City 3-2 in a gripping FA Cup final on Saturday.

Appearing in their first ever major final, Hull rocked Arsenal by going 2-0 up inside just eight minutes through goals from centre-backs James Chester and Curtis Davies.

But Santi Cazorla’s sumptuous free-kick reduced the arrears in the 17th minute and after Laurent Koscielny netted an equaliser with 19 minutes of normal time remaining, Ramsey drilled home the winner in the extra period.

It was the Welsh midfielder’s 16th goal of a campaign that has seen him emerge as Arsenal’s most influential player and brought Arsene Wenger’s side a first trophy since the 2005 FA Cup.

Wenger, who is still to extend his contract, which expires shortly, has now won five FA Cups, while Arsenal have equalled Manchester United’s record of 11 successes in the competition.

Hull faded badly after their stunning start, but Steve Bruce’s side could console themselves with the knowledge that a Europa League place was already secure.

Chester had unexpectedly overcome a hamstring problem to take his place in Hull’s three-man defence, and nobody could have predicted how quickly he would have an impact on the game at a muggy Wembley Stadium.

Hull’s fans were still adjusting to the novelty of seeing their side in an FA Cup final when Chester put them ahead in the fourth minute, clipping the ball into the bottom-left corner from Tom Huddlestone’s mishit volley.

Huddlestone had been picked out by Stephen Quinn from a corner and four minutes later, Arsenal were again undone by a set-piece.

After Ahmed Elmohamady’s free-kick was partially cleared, Quinn put the ball into the box from the left and when Alex Bruce’s downward header came back off the post, Davies rattled the rebound home from a tight angle.


Stars pip plucky Comoros

$
0
0

OLIECH_STARS_318421375NAIROBI, Kenya, May 18 – Belgian based Johanna Omolo netted a first half lone goal to see Harambee Stars begin their 2015 Africa Cup of Nations journey with a win when they narrowly beat Comoros 1-0 in the first leg preliminary round at Nairobi’s Nyayo National Stadium on Sunday.

The Lomel United midfielder unleashed a thunderbolt in the 34th minute to open the scoring after host dominated better part of the match.

“The boys tried and as I said before there is no small team in Africa. I watched Comoros playing against Burkina Faso and I told my players to watch out. I knew they were good on set pieces and that’s why I preferred to strengthen my midfield.

“I’m happy with the win because some of my players like Lawrence Olum and Jamal Mohammed arrived yesterday and they had little time to train with the team. We hope to score more goals in the return leg for us to progress to the next round,” Harambee Stars head coach Adel Amrouche stated after the match.

Amrouche started with a strong squad that featured six foreign based players as USA based defender Olum earning his debut.

Both teams preferred to hold back and study the game with host threatening first in the 26th through captain and English Premier League side Southampton midfielder Victor Wanyama, but his long range shot went wide.

Soule Mohammed could have given the visitors the lead in the three minutes later when he beat defenders but he hurriedly took the shot that went wide.

Mohammed combined well with Dennis Oliech but the latter failed to beat keeper Mroivill Mahmoud.

Five minutes later Omolo brought the stadium into frenzy when he unleashed a long range cracker that beat Mahnoud to break the deadlock.

Wanyama could have doubled four minutes later from Ayub Timbe’s free-kick only for his header to go over the bar.

On the stroke of half-time Omolo thought he had notched a brace when he headed home Mohammed free-kick but referee Wellington Kauma from Zambia denied him as he waved for offside as Kenya went to the breather 1-0 up.

The visitors resumed a better side with Ben El Fardon bringing in a free-kick that forced keeper Wilson Obungu to spill in the box for defenders to clear the danger.

In the 57th Oliech missed a clear chance from a close range when he failed to slot home Wanyama’s deflected shot.

Amrouche did all substitutions bringing in Clifton Miheso, MacDonald Mariga and James Situma for Mohammed, Olum and Allan Wanga.

The Islanders had their last chance in the 77th when substitute Hamadi Combo broke in the counter attack but his effort was stopped by Obungu as the host managed to hold on to win the match.

Kenya will now head to Comoros in a fortnight for the return leg with a 1-0 advantage.

Bale, Ronaldo deliver La Decima

$
0
0

BALE-DECIMALISBON, May 24- Real Madrid won the Champions League for the 10th time thanks to extra time goals from Gareth Bale, Marcelo and Cristiano Ronaldo as they came from behind in dramatic circumstances to beat Atletico Madrid 4-1 in Lisbon on Saturday.

Atletico seemed set for their first ever European crown as they led deep into stoppage time thanks to Diego Godin’s first-half header, but Sergio Ramos took the game into extra time with a towering header in the 93rd minute.

And for the second time this season having already scored the winner to hand Real the Copa del Rey against Barcelona last month, Bale scored the crucial goal when he headed into an empty net after Thibaut Courtois had parried Angel di Maria’s effort.

With Atletico committed to finding an equaliser, Real were able to counter-attack at will and Marcelo killed the game off when his low shot had too much power for Courtois before Ronaldo sealed his return to Lisbon with a fourth from the penalty spot.

Atletico’s top scorer Diego Costa had been surprisingly included in Diego Simeone’s starting line-up despite suffering a hamstring injury just seven days ago as Atletico clinched the La Liga title against Barcelona.

However, the Brazilian-born striker lasted just nine minutes as he hobbled off to be replaced by Adrian Lopez.

After a quiet start the game came to life just before the half hour when Raul Garcia was shown a yellow card for chopping down Di Maria and Ramos joined him in the book for squaring up to Garcia.

Ronaldo’s resulting free-kick was comfortably dealt with by Courtois, but Real missed a golden chance to open the scoring minutes later through Bale.

The Welshman pounced on Tiago’s errant pass in midfield and scampered forward into the area but side-footed wide on his favoured left foot.

Three minutes later it was Atletico who took the lead as Juanfran headed a cleared corner back into the box and Godin took advantage of indecision by Iker Casillas to loop the ball over the Spanish captain and just over the line.

Ronaldo had a couple of half-chances to level at the start of the second-half as Courtois awkwardly tipped another free-kick from distance over before the Portuguese captain headed just wide from a corner.

- Taking risks -

As Real took more risks to find the equaliser, though, Atletico were also becoming more dangerous on the break and Adrian was unfortunate to see his goalbound effort deflected just wide by Sami Khedira.

Bale wasted another good opening as he sprinted onto Ronaldo’s pass, but chose the wrong option in trying to squeeze the ball home at the near post and dumped the ball into the side netting.

Just when Atletico thought they had the trophy won, though, Real got their reward as Ramos rose to power Luka Modric’s corner past the helpless Courtois.

Atletico’s tiredness then showed in the second period of extra time as Real had too much pace and power and finally went in front 10 minutes from the end when Di Maria burst into the area and despite his effort being saved by Courtois, Bale was on hand to head in at the back post.

Courtois also got a hand to Marcelo’s low drive eight minutes later, but the Belgian international couldn’t keep it out.

And Ronaldo got the goal he craved back in his homeland when he was clipped by Gabi moments later and got back up to slam the resulting penalty home.

Advantage Tusker in Kinoru rumble

$
0
0

GOR-FANNAIROBI, Kenya, May 25 – Defending champions Tusker FC are one step to the final after Brian Osumba’s goal silenced Gor Mahia 1-0 in the first leg of KPL Top 8 semi-final at a rocking Meru’s Kinoru Stadium on Sunday.

The former KCB midfielder scored the solitary goal in the 46th minute to break the Green Army hearts who had traveled in their hundreds to rally behind their team.

Brewers need a draw of any kind to book them a successive final as they remained on course to be the first team to retain the title.

“A good game though a tough one since it is a tournament and we needed to get advantage because we were playing at home. We enjoyed the game at least we had a good first half but there was mixed reaction when we scored and that what we wanted just to make sure we utilize our home advantage.

“It’s still a hard fight since it’s a knockout, Gor needs a goal to equalize and that makes it tight,” Tusker head coach Francis Kimanzi, stated after the win.

“It was a tough game, they dominated possession but most of it was on their own half so we will rectify that in the return leg. We were planning to defend and probably not to concede but unfortunately we did forcing me to make offensive substitution so that we can push the game. We promise them a tough game in the return leg,” K’Ogalo Team Manager Francis Ouna who was standing in for bereaved head coach Bobby Williamson, said.

With both sides entering the match from KPL wins, Kimanzi made two changes from the squad the beat City Stars 1-0 bringing on Harambee Stars left back Aboud Omar for his first match of the season replacing Athman Mbuki while Andrew Tololwa stepped in for Bob Mugalia.

K’Ogalo who were playing without their head coach and assistant John ‘Bobby’ Ogolla who is recuperating after being hospitalized last week saw stand-in Team Manager Francis Ouna made no changes.

Playing in Meru after 15 years, the visitors were outclassed by Brewers who were attacking now and then with Kevin Kimani coming close twice in the first 10 minutes but was denied by captain and keeper Jerim Onyango after completing a set piece from Clifford Alwanga, Martin Kiiza and Khalid Aucho before defender Musa Mohammed cleared his shot.

The host could have doubled in the13th but missed two clear chances that forced Onyango to pull saves after spilling Aucho’s free-kick only for Lloyd Wahome to head wide.

The Kenyan international custodian had to come out of his line to clear danger that could have been the opener for Tusker, if Alwanga had reached Kimani’s through pass as both sides shared the spoils at a barren draw to the break.

Lady luck seemed to have knocked on Brewer’s door upon resumption with Osumba breaking the deadlock 15 seconds after the breather from Alwanga through pass that beat defenders for last season’s midfielder of the year to notch his second successive goal.

Kimani once again missed a chance from a close range after good combination from Osumba, Alwanga and Tololwa to blast wide.

Ouna brought in Shaba Kenga for Erick Ochieng as well as pulling out Dan Sserunkuma for Timonah Wanyonyi but the two could not sustain the pressure neither break through the solidified defence of Jockins Atudo, Omar, Wahome and Kiiiza as Kimanzi proved too good against the league champions, picking maximum points to head to the return leg with a 1-0 advantage.

Kenya storms to WR in Bahamas

$
0
0

KENYA-WRNASSAU, BAHAMAS, May 25- The results of the women’s 4x1500m and men’s 4x200m both bear the capital letters ‘WR’ beside the name of the winners but beyond that the two new records * put up in Saturday night’s action at the inaugural IAAF World Relays have little in common.

The first mark, the women’s 4x1500m, was widely regarded as the most likely to fall, a near certainty if not an absolute one.

Kenyan teams had lowered the mark twice in trials races at altitude in Nairobi last month, but the times now seem hardly worth ratifying; the last one was a 17:05.72 on 20 April.

To beat that mark would require an average time under 4:17, and the squad Kenya eventually brought to the line – Mercy Cherono, Faith Kipyegon, Irene Jelagat and Hellen Obiri – had average personal bests of under four minutes.

Obiri had just run a national record of 8:20.68 over 3000m at the IAAF Diamond League meeting in Doha, to become the sixth fastest runner ever over the distance, with Cherono just behind in 8:21.14; those two marks together would be well under the previous record.

So the question, realistically, was not whether the Kenyan quartet would lower the record; but by how much.

By contrast, the men’s 4x200m record was set 20 years ago at the 1994 Mt. SAC Relays in Walnut, California, by a Santa Monica Track Club squad that included of Leroy Burrell, Mike Marsh, and IAAF Athlete of the 20th Century Carl Lewis, collectively with more World and Olympic medals between them than many countries see in a century. (The fourth leg, Floyd Heard, had sub-20 200m credentials but fewer medals.)

At 1:18.68, besting the record would require an average split of 19.67 or better, a time the likes of which few athletes have ever run and while both the Jamaican and US squads claimed to be chasing the record, nobody really knew if the difference between block starts from a standstill and running relay passes would make them fast enough to challenge the record.

In the end the surprise of the 4x1500m was not that Kenya lowered the record, nor that their mark of 16:33.58 took a staggering 32 seconds off the previous time, but that the American squad of Heather Kampf, Kate Mackey, Kate Grace and Brenda Martinez beat the old record as well, albeit coming home more than 20 seconds adrift of the runaway winners.

US women also inside old record

The US effort of 16:55.33 was particularly notable after Mackey, looking back to get the baton from Kampf, ran headlong into Australia’s slowing Zoe Buckman, who had completed her pass to Bridey Delaney after staying close to Cherono through the first leg.

Both Mackey and Buckman wound up on the track, but Mackey retained the baton and got back up, which was enough.

Australia, too, ran an Area record of 17:08.65, the fifth-fastest recognized mark ever, behind two each from Kenya and the USA.

The winning Kenyans, while clearly pleased and despite the effervescent Cherono dancing on the sidelines, showed less emotion the Jamaican men, who were in the air instantly when their time flashed up, before Blake could even slow down.

Word in the tribune, unofficially, was that Blake had split 19.0 for his anchor leg, justifying his own speculation at Friday’s pre-event press conference. “If I can run 19.2 from a block start,” postulated Blake, “Imagine what I could do from a running start.”

With the whole race run in lanes, the four-turn stagger didn’t unwind fully until halfway through Blake’s anchor leg.

Running in lane three, the Jamaicans had their competition laid out in front of them for the whole race, watching not only the fireworks of the second-place St Kitts and Nevis team out in lane eight – second leg Lestrod Roland, who took the baton halfway around the bend due to the extreme stagger, actually swung his left arm over his head as though to ask the rest of the field to get in the race – but also had rivals USA in lane six.

Both teams added a US$50,000 World record bonus to the $50,000 first place prize.

The final difference between the new records may be their approachability.

Both Jamaica and the USA might be able to put together faster squads for the men’s 4x200m – adding a healthy Usain Bolt to the existing Jamaican quartet, for example, and practicing the notoriously tricky exchanges – but it’s not a given that both teams would have the available personnel to attempt the record again in the near future.

However, the women’s 4x1500m mark even now is only a few seconds faster than the combined 3000m marks of Obiri and Cherono.

Should Kenya choose to chase the mark again, and if the same record bonus is on the line again, then there’s no reason they should not reduce it further and by several seconds. A time of between 16:20 and 16:30 would seem to pose little problem to the combined talent of the Kenyan quartet on display in Nassau.

The biggest obstacle to a Kenyan team lowering the record again, in fact, would be competition from an Ethiopian entry, who were sadly absent from the IAAF World Relays on this occasion, missing the opportunity for what could have been a spectacular duel with their Rift Valley Rivals.

* subject to the usual ratification procedures

Another sparkling record for Kenya

$
0
0

KIPROP-BAHAMASNASSAU, Bahamas, May 26- It was widely agreed that Kenya was fully capable of breaking the men’s 4x1500m World record at the IAAF World Relays.

But, unlike in the women’s event which had been relatively rarely run at international level before this year, most pundits stopped short of calling the men’s mark a certainty.

They need not have been so cautious.

The standing mark prior to Nassau 2014 of 14:36.23, set by Germany in 1977, required an average carry of just under 3:40 but Kenya’s team – Collins Cheboi (personal best of 3:31.53), Silas Kiplagat (3:29.27), James Kiplagat Mugut (3:30.61) and Asbel Kiprop (3:27.72) – were all well capable of running within time with room to spare.

The end result was not quite so dramatic as the 32-second demolition job the Kenyan women’s team did on their mark Saturday, but Cheboi, Kiplagat, Mugut and Kiprop – with splits of 3:38.60, 3:32.50, 3:38.80 and 3:32.30 – were all under that magic average – and took 14 seconds off the old record and move the goal posts.

The new mark, 14:22.22, will now require four men to average just over 3:35 to beat it.

“We had a mission today,” acknowledged Kiplagat. “To win and break the World record.”

Like the women, the new mark, while a clear improvement, is still very attainable, particularly for Kenyan quartets; Kenya has six men under 3:35 already this year.

However, there’s more to the attainability of the record than just addition; there’s also strategy.

The uneven pacing of Sunday’s record, with Cheboi and Magut running 3:38 and Kiplagat and Kiprop well under that, suggests that another successful attempt might benefit from a redistribution of effort and stronger rivals in the race.

The Kenyans almost had that competition this time.

The Ethiopians, led by Mekonnen Gebremedhin, set the pace for the first three laps, and the USA’s Patrick Casey was the first to the 1500m exchange.

If Kiplagat was going to run 3:32 anyway, what if Mugut had run his leg with the American second leg, David Torrence, on his shoulder?

Torrence ran 3:36.60 and covered his first lap in 54 seconds; Magut’s first full 400m split was a 58. It’s clear that quite a bit of room remains for the Kenyans to push the mark even faster.

Kiprop, who watched the whole thing from the bottom of the first bend, seemed to be watching someone else’s race, and his analytical viewpoint showed in his post-race comments.

“The times were not that fast in the beginning, but we managed to break it,” said Kiprop, who admitted he was so lost in his calculations of the splits that he nearly missed his handoff, surprised to find Magut coming around the bend to hand off the baton.

The team is rightly proud of what they did accomplish.

“I am really happy to be part of this world record breaking team,” said Magut, who added, “You can expect more from Kenya.”

An additional mark of the relatively tougher challenge the 4x1500m men faced was that unlike the women, no teams other than the winners dipped under the old record.

The US runners-up were still four seconds adrift of the old mark but are now fourth on the all-time list behind a 1977 German team and a 1973 New Zealand quartet.

“It is an amazing feeling,” said Cheboi, who unlike Kiprop and Kiplagat has not had the experience of racing at an IAAF World Championships or Olympics Games. “The crowd was amazing and they encouraged us all the way through.”

The love between the Kenyans and the crowd appeared to be mutual.

Perhaps it was the music; for both of the long relays, the junkanoo band on the first bend was playing, banging and dancing ecstatically.

As the Kenyans took their lap of honour, they too almost seemed to be dancing, particularly as they approached the section on the backstretch packed with yellow-and-green Jamaican flags.

It might be asking a lot for distance runners to race over 5000m or 10,000m in the heat of the Caribbean, but cover 6000m in a relay, fill the stadium with Bahamians and Jamaicans, and you have all the ingredients for a race the likes of which has never happened before.

Viewing all 13701 articles
Browse latest View live