Andrew Alamisi opened Team Kenya’s medal quest at the World U20 Championships in Peru with a stunning performance. The 17-year-old sprinted to victory in the men’s 5000m final after a closely contested race on the opening day of the games.
As the hot favorite going into the race due to his personal bests, Alamisi clocked 13:41.14, narrowly edging out Ethiopia’s Abdisa Fayisa, who finished at 13:41.56. Uganda’s Kenneth Kiptop ran a season-best time of 13:41.73 to claim the bronze medal. Another Kenyan competitor, Ishmael Kipkurui, finished just outside the podium in fourth place.
Ethiopian Dominance in the Women’s Final
Earlier in the women’s final, Ethiopian athletes dominated as Medina Eisa defended her title in style, setting a championship record time of 14:39.71. Her compatriot Mekedes Aleshemete finished second, while Uganda’s Charity Cherop secured third place. Kenyan athletes Mercy Chepkemoi and Sheila Jebet finished in fourth and fifth places, respectively.
Sarah Moraa Advances in the Women’s 800m
Meanwhile, African 800m champion Sarah Moraa began her medal hunt at the World U20 Championships with a strong performance, winning Heat 4 of the women’s 800m on Tuesday morning. Moraa clocked 2:05.11 to finish first, ahead of Italy’s Lorenza de Noni (2:06.02) and Canada’s Kyla Martin (2:06.20), who took second and third places, respectively.
However, Janet Jepkemoi, another Kenyan competitor, missed out on a spot in the semifinals after finishing eighth in Heat 1. Jepkemoi recorded a time of 2:15.94 in a race won by Japan’s Rin Kubo, who clocked 2:04.5.
Phanuel Kipkosgei and Kelvin Koech Advance in Men’s 800m
In the men’s 800m, both Phanuel Kipkosgei and Kelvin Koech advanced to the next stage, despite contrasting fortunes in their respective heats. Kipkosgei finished fourth in Heat 1 with a time of 1:50.20, while Koech secured second place in Heat 4, clocking 1:49.28. The semifinals for both races are scheduled for Thursday.
Kenya Eyes Improved Medal Count
Team Kenya is determined to surpass the 10 medals they earned at the last championships held in Cali, Colombia. The World U20 Championships will continue until August 31.
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