Athletics: Kenyan trifecta pierces gloom

Sammy Kipketer led a Kenyan clean sweep in the men's 5000m yesterday to give their country some consolation at the end of a disappointing track and field programme.

Kipketer led his team-mates Benjamin Limo and Willy Kirui across the line after a thrilling sprint finish to take gold in 13m 13.51s, with the unlucky Limo losing by just 0.06s after falling on the first lap.

Kipketer's time was a Games record, breaking the long-standing mark of countryman Ben Jipcho, who ran the distance in 13m 14.30s in Christchurch in 1974.

The East African giants of middle-distance running won only four gold medals in Manchester, less than England, Australia and South Africa, and level with the Bahamas and Jamaica, after sending a weakened team.

Most of their top runners opted to skip the Games to chase cash prizes on the lucrative European circuit instead and the results spoke for themselves.

The men's and women's 800m and 1500m finals, events traditionally won by Kenyans, went to other nations this time.

It was the same in both marathons, and two Kenyans chased home an English runner in the women's 5000m.

Despite this, the Kenyans finished fourth on the athletics medals table with a total of 16, and did provide some of the most astonishing moments inside the City of Manchester Stadium.

Talel Wilberforce led a Kenyan one-two in the men's 10,000m after a thrilling race in which the top four finishers were separated by less than half a second, the closest in the history of the Games.

Stephen Cherono led a clean sweep of the medals in the 3000m steeplechase and Salina Kosgei led a Kenyan one-two in the women's 10,000m.

And Kipketer provided another reminder of the depth in Kenyan running with a memorable victory in yesterday's 5000m.

"I'm delighted because I haven't won a major gold on the track before," Kipketer said.

"I have been training hard for this, the pace was comfortable for me."

In race full of drama from start to finish, Limo was sent sprawling to the track after being clipped on the heels during the opening-lap jostle.

But he recovered quickly to join his two team-mates at the front.

The three Kenyans, running as a team and alternating the lead, left their last opponent behind them with three laps to go to set the stage for a three-way sprint home on the bell lap.

Kirui was the first to drop off, slipping behind about 200m from home to settle for bronze, as Kipketer and Limo set off on a titanic battle.

"The pace was very high indeed and we're very happy with the one-two-three," Kirui said.

"I set out to run my own race, not to follow anyone in particularly, and I'm happy with the bronze."

Kipketer opened up a 4m lead entering the home straight, but Limo loomed up on his right shoulder 40m from the finish.

However, he could not get past his younger compatriot and went down by half a metre.

"After I fell, I had to put in a lot of energy to catch up with the others," Limo said.

"That's why I felt exhausted and wasn't able to win the sprint."

Michael Aish completed New Zealand's track and field campaign, finishing the 5000m in 12th position from 17 starters.

He was holding his own until the Kenyans upped the lap-rate and he gradually slipped away.

Aish, who was in Manchester to concentrate on the 10,000m, in which he finished eighth, was outside his personal best with a time of 13m 45.87s.

"He was lapping pretty well at 64s and 65s [a lap], but when they they put the hammer down and put in a 62s he was found wanting a bit," athletics team manager Ken Simpson said.

"He was here for the 10,000m, so he's happy to do the double."

Simpson said he was rapt with the team's overall performance.

"It's twice the medal haul from Kuala Lumpur, so we're very pleased.

"They've done us proud overall."

The athletics team won four medals - a gold to discus thrower Beatrice Faumuina, and silvers to shot putter Valerie Adams, 50km road walker Craig Barrett and hammer thrower Phil Jensen.

- AGENCIES

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