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Mar 26, 2006
COMMONWEALTH Games gold medalist Boniface Kiprop has set his sights on ending the long distance reign of Ethiopian ace Kenenisa Bekele. <br>Kiprop,20, has not beaten Bekele who is four years his senior in 12 meetings dating back to 2002. Bekele also holds the world record.
Louis Jadwong in Melbourne, Australia
Athletics medal standings
1. Australia
2. Jamaica
3. Kenya
4. England
5. South Africa
6. Canada
7. Nigeria
8. New Zealand
9. Uganda
10. India
11. Bahamas
12. Wales
13. Scotland
14. Botswana
15. Grenada
16. Mauritius
17. T&Tobago
18. Cameroon
19. Cyprus
20. Mozambique
21. Seychelles
Saturday
Men’s 10000m final winner
B. Kiprop (Uganda)
Wednesday
3000m steeplechase winner
D. Inzikuru (Uganda)
COMMONWEALTH Games gold medalist Boniface Kiprop has set his sights on ending the long distance reign of Ethiopian ace Kenenisa Bekele.
Kiprop,20, has not beaten Bekele who is four years his senior in 12 meetings dating back to 2002. Bekele also holds the world record.
“I am now a champion also so when we meet, it will be a battle of champions,†Kiprop said yesterday as he celebrated his first senior medal.
“I am now ready to challenge Bekele.â€
Kiprop will get a massive boost from his victory in the Melbourne final on Saturday night that ended two years of losing dozens of races either in the last lap, or with the tape in sight.
Kiprop brushed off a Kenyan and Tanzanian challenge, clocking 27:50.99 to win the gold medal.
“The pace was not as hard as I hard thought it would be, so I had enough (power)to sprint this time. I have also been practising a lot of sprinting and it worked for me,†Kiprop said with a smile.
He revealed that Tanzania’s Joseph Fabian played a big part in his victory.
“When we realised the Kenyans were targeting both of us, we decided to frustrate them. Joseph and I started interchanging the pace setting,†he revealed.
Kiprop’s victory ended bitter memories of fourth place finishes at both the 2004 Olympics and World Championships finals last year. He is a former world junior champion and record holder at the distance. His victory gave Uganda a record two gold from the track, the best performance for athletics since 1954. Uganda finished ninth out of 23 medals winners and 71 nations in track and field here.
Uganda had not won a gold medal in track and field until Dorcus Inzikuru won the 3000m steeplechase on Wednesday. What is even more exciting for athletics is that there are several youngsters capable of challenging Kiprop.
“It’s Uganda’s second medal and everyone will be very proud of me,†Kiprop told the press after the race.
“Tonight I wanted to win a race, and I knew it was there to be won.â€
Kiprop kept to the front for most of the race and dictated the pace with some clever running on the inside of the track. His Kenyan challengers were often running outside the favoured lane, and did themselves no good by often attempting to overtake him on bends. The energy they wasted told on the final stretch.
Wilson Kipkemei Busienei was originally set to lead the way, but, found the pace Kiprop set a little too high and was in the chasing pack. He eventually finished fifth. The Kenyans are down, Kenenisa Bekele to go.
One element of the Games that has touched athletes and spectators has been the medal ceremony, and the giving of a bouquet of flowers to the winners. A total of 1,277 bouquets were given to medallists.
Athletics medal standings
1. Australia
2. Jamaica
3. Kenya
4. England
5. South Africa
6. Canada
7. Nigeria
8. New Zealand
9. Uganda
10. India
11. Bahamas
12. Wales
13. Scotland
14. Botswana
15. Grenada
16. Mauritius
17. T&Tobago
18. Cameroon
19. Cyprus
20. Mozambique
21. Seychelles
Saturday
Men’s 10000m final winner
B. Kiprop (Uganda)
Wednesday
3000m steeplechase winner
D. Inzikuru (Uganda)
COMMONWEALTH Games gold medalist Boniface Kiprop has set his sights on ending the long distance reign of Ethiopian ace Kenenisa Bekele.
Kiprop,20, has not beaten Bekele who is four years his senior in 12 meetings dating back to 2002. Bekele also holds the world record.
“I am now a champion also so when we meet, it will be a battle of champions,†Kiprop said yesterday as he celebrated his first senior medal.
“I am now ready to challenge Bekele.â€
Kiprop will get a massive boost from his victory in the Melbourne final on Saturday night that ended two years of losing dozens of races either in the last lap, or with the tape in sight.
Kiprop brushed off a Kenyan and Tanzanian challenge, clocking 27:50.99 to win the gold medal.
“The pace was not as hard as I hard thought it would be, so I had enough (power)to sprint this time. I have also been practising a lot of sprinting and it worked for me,†Kiprop said with a smile.
He revealed that Tanzania’s Joseph Fabian played a big part in his victory.
“When we realised the Kenyans were targeting both of us, we decided to frustrate them. Joseph and I started interchanging the pace setting,†he revealed.
Kiprop’s victory ended bitter memories of fourth place finishes at both the 2004 Olympics and World Championships finals last year. He is a former world junior champion and record holder at the distance. His victory gave Uganda a record two gold from the track, the best performance for athletics since 1954. Uganda finished ninth out of 23 medals winners and 71 nations in track and field here.
Uganda had not won a gold medal in track and field until Dorcus Inzikuru won the 3000m steeplechase on Wednesday. What is even more exciting for athletics is that there are several youngsters capable of challenging Kiprop.
“It’s Uganda’s second medal and everyone will be very proud of me,†Kiprop told the press after the race.
“Tonight I wanted to win a race, and I knew it was there to be won.â€
Kiprop kept to the front for most of the race and dictated the pace with some clever running on the inside of the track. His Kenyan challengers were often running outside the favoured lane, and did themselves no good by often attempting to overtake him on bends. The energy they wasted told on the final stretch.
Wilson Kipkemei Busienei was originally set to lead the way, but, found the pace Kiprop set a little too high and was in the chasing pack. He eventually finished fifth. The Kenyans are down, Kenenisa Bekele to go.
One element of the Games that has touched athletes and spectators has been the medal ceremony, and the giving of a bouquet of flowers to the winners. A total of 1,277 bouquets were given to medallists.