Africa Games: Janeth Chepngetich wins the sixth gold medal for Kenya

 

Janeth Chepng’etich continued Kenya’s medal haul at the African Games in Accra, Ghana when she won the women’s 10,000m on Thursday night.

Chepng’etich clocked 33:37.00, ahead of Ethiopian pair of Belew Kefale (33:38.37) and Amare Tekan Berhe (33:51.50) who finished second and third respectively.

The Keringet-based athlete exhibited a devastating kick in the final lap to wrestle the lead from Kefale with who she had exchanged the top position for much of the 25-lap race.

Chepng’etich’s is Kenya’s sixth gold at the quadrennial competition and increases the country’s medal tally to 22.

Other medals of the day included Angella Okutoyi’s gold in the women’s tennis singles — as well as silver in the doubles — and national rugby 7s team silver medal after a 21-14 loss to Uganda.

Her win came in the aftermath of the men’s 400m hurdles final where Commonwealth Games bronze medalist Wiseman Were narrowly missed out of the podium place after clocking 50.10 in fourth.

The race was clinched by Moroccan Saad Hinti who timed a national record of 48.82 in first place, ahead of the Botswana pair of Bonnye Victor (49.38) and Tisang Kemorena (50.09) in second and third respectively.

Kenya will keeping their fingers crossed for more medals on the penultimate day on Friday with more races on the menu, including men and women’s half marathon, men’s javelin throw, men’s high jump, men and women’s 1500m, men’s 5000m as well as men and women’s 4x400m relay.