Africa race walk champion Emily Ngii and distance runner Maxon Kipng’etich reigned in their races as the sixth leg of the Athletics Kenya Track and Field Championships entered the second day at Kasarani.
Ngii, the Commonwealth Games bronze medallist, sealed a third victory in the AK meeting, winning the women’s 20 kilometres race walk final, in one hour, 37 minutes and 34 seconds.
Ngii from Kenya Defence Forces, edged out compatriot Africa silver medallist Silvia Kemboi to second place in 1:41:37 as Asumpta Ikale also from KDF settled third in 1:47:15.
“Kasarani has always been a tough course and registering fast times is next to impossible,” said Ngii, the African Games champion, who won in the first and fifth legs in Nairobi and Kisii respectively.
Ngii is hoping to make her second appearance at the World Athletics Championships scheduled for August 19 to 27 in Budapest, Hungary. “I don’t have the qualifying time but I should qualify as the continental champion,” said Ngii, who also banks on her world ranking to make it to Budapest.
Ngii, who finished 30th at the World Athletics Championships last year in Oregon, United States is ranked 36th in the world.
The standards for women’s race walk for Budapest in 1:29:20.
Kipng’etich from Nandi blasted to the fastest time in 10,000m when he won the first of the three heats in 28:16.08, beating Shadrack Koech from Ndura to second place in 28:29.23.
Tobias Cheruiyot won the third heat, returning the third fastest time in 28:49.03, beating Nyahururu’s Geoffrey Marusai to second place in 29:22.33.
Dennis Kibiwott won the second heat in the 10,000m in 29:17.38.
Africa Under-20 800m bronze medallist Lydia Jeruto was home and dry in 4:18.12 to win women’s 1,500m, beating Vivian Koskei to second place in 4:18.14 as Wenny Boinet timed 4:18.5 for third.
Tazana Kamanga, Pius Adome and Sylvester Simiyu won their respective 100m semi-finals to set up a mouth-watering final clash on Saturday.
Kamanga clocked 10.52 seconds, beating Uganda’s Allan Ngobi to second place in 10.65 as Adome also from Uganda, dashed to 10.55 in the second semi-final to see off Robinson Mutende in a photo-finish.
Simiyu timed 10.57 to win the third semi, brushing aside Uganda’s Benson Okot to second place in 10.60.
