Chepkirwok outpaced in 800m race

Jul 21, 2007

UGANDA’S hopes for a gold medal lie precariously balanced on a knife-edge after Abraham Chepkirwok failed to live up to pre-race expectations yesterday. Chepkirwok had aroused optimism after storming the 800m final but any rampant hopes were checked when he finished fifth in a time of 1:46.64 minu

By James Bakama
in Algiers


UGANDA’S hopes for a gold medal lie precariously balanced on a knife-edge after Abraham Chepkirwok failed to live up to pre-race expectations yesterday. Chepkirwok had aroused optimism after storming the 800m final but any rampant hopes were checked when he finished fifth in a time of 1:46.64 minutes.

Sudan’s Kaki Abubakar, ahead of South African Mbuloni Mulauozi and Kenya’s Justins Koech, snatched the gold.
Chepkirwok’s anti-climax dictates that only Moses Kipsiro, an African 10,000m champion, stands between Ugandan athletics and embarrassment.

Kipsiro — a late entrant whose powerful finish should be an asset in the 5000m final on Sunday — will do well to avoid the pitfalls that accounted for Chepkirwok here.

The latter, who was struggling with a thigh injury, started disastrously — at one point lagging behind in second-last place.
His energy-sapping but ultimately futile attempt to catch up, had him limping thereafter, before he collapsed on the track — forcing medical staff to scamper to his aid.

In javelin, Annet Kabasindi threw 49.61m to finish 6th in a final won by South Africa’s Jesin Robinson — who managed 58.09m.

Earlier Thursday, Boniface Kiprop finished 6th in the 10,000m — 66 seconds slower than his personal best.
Zersenay Tadesse of Eritrea won the race in 27.00.30 minutes — in an event where even the Kenyans failed to impress.

The Eritrean who almost overlapped Kiprop, is also the world cross country champion after beating Kenenisa Bekele in Mombasa early this year.

Tola Tadesse of Ethiopia settled for silver in 27:28.08 minutes, while Cuma Gebregwiabher of Ethiopia took bronze in 27:41.24 minutes.

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