Kipsiro bags 5000m bronze
Sep 02, 2007
MOSES Kipsiro salvaged Uganda’s pride by winning a 5000m bronze medal on the last day of the IAAF World Athletics Championships in Osaka, Japan.
NORMAN KATENDE
5000m final (Men)
1.B. Lagat (USA) 13:45.87
2.E. Kipchoge (Ken) 13:46.00
3. M. Kipsiro 13:46.75
800m final (Men)
1. A. K. Yego (Ken) 1:47.09
2. G. Reed (Can) 1:47.10
3. Y. Borzakovskiy 1:47.39
4. Chepkirwok 1:47.41
Prize money
Kipsiro sh34m
Chepkirwok sh23m
MOSES Kipsiro salvaged Uganda’s pride by winning a 5000m bronze medal on the last day of the IAAF World Athletics Championships in Osaka, Japan.
The birthday boy, who turned 22 yesterday, could not hear the “Happy Birthday†chorusing from his fellow Ugandan athletes in the stands — as he beamed like lightning after he was stopped from going to the mixed zone and told he had won a bronze medal.
“I thought I had been beaten at the line,†said Kipsiro, whose birthday present will come in form of the sh34m cash prize that is won by the third-place finisher.
His compatriot Abraham Chepkirwok looked on in disbelief as 0.02 second denied him his first ever senior medal — a bronze — in the 800m finals.
Chepkirwok would have become the first athlete to win both a junior and senior medal in less than two years.
American Bernard Lagat became the first man to win the 1500 and 5000m titles with a stunning victory in the longer distance.
The Kenyan-born 32-year-old stormed through the last 200m to cross the line in 13:45.87 and claim 5,000m gold after breaking a 99-year drought for his new country in the 1500m earlier in the week.
Eliud Kipchoge of Kenya, world champion four years ago, looked like he might get close to Lagat at the death, but had to settle for silver in 13.46.00.
Kipsiro himself started the race in the last pack, and only leapt forward after five of the 12-and-a-half lap race. He kept with the lead pack before Lagat started to sprint with 600m to go.
This wrecked the Ugandan’s renowned final kick from the last 400m, but he held on to beat the charging Matthew Tegenkamp of America by 0.03 seconds, and come within 0.78 seconds of the silver medallist.
Kipsiro becomes the third Ugandan to win a medal at the championship after a gold by Dorcus Inzikuru in 2007 and silver by Davis Kamoga in 1997.
5000m final (Men)
1.B. Lagat (USA) 13:45.87
2.E. Kipchoge (Ken) 13:46.00
3. M. Kipsiro 13:46.75
800m final (Men)
1. A. K. Yego (Ken) 1:47.09
2. G. Reed (Can) 1:47.10
3. Y. Borzakovskiy 1:47.39
4. Chepkirwok 1:47.41
Prize money
Kipsiro sh34m
Chepkirwok sh23m
MOSES Kipsiro salvaged Uganda’s pride by winning a 5000m bronze medal on the last day of the IAAF World Athletics Championships in Osaka, Japan.
The birthday boy, who turned 22 yesterday, could not hear the “Happy Birthday†chorusing from his fellow Ugandan athletes in the stands — as he beamed like lightning after he was stopped from going to the mixed zone and told he had won a bronze medal.
“I thought I had been beaten at the line,†said Kipsiro, whose birthday present will come in form of the sh34m cash prize that is won by the third-place finisher.
His compatriot Abraham Chepkirwok looked on in disbelief as 0.02 second denied him his first ever senior medal — a bronze — in the 800m finals.
Chepkirwok would have become the first athlete to win both a junior and senior medal in less than two years.
American Bernard Lagat became the first man to win the 1500 and 5000m titles with a stunning victory in the longer distance.
The Kenyan-born 32-year-old stormed through the last 200m to cross the line in 13:45.87 and claim 5,000m gold after breaking a 99-year drought for his new country in the 1500m earlier in the week.
Eliud Kipchoge of Kenya, world champion four years ago, looked like he might get close to Lagat at the death, but had to settle for silver in 13.46.00.
Kipsiro himself started the race in the last pack, and only leapt forward after five of the 12-and-a-half lap race. He kept with the lead pack before Lagat started to sprint with 600m to go.
This wrecked the Ugandan’s renowned final kick from the last 400m, but he held on to beat the charging Matthew Tegenkamp of America by 0.03 seconds, and come within 0.78 seconds of the silver medallist.
Kipsiro becomes the third Ugandan to win a medal at the championship after a gold by Dorcus Inzikuru in 2007 and silver by Davis Kamoga in 1997.