Peter Njenga
6 June 2005
Nairobi — Ezekiel Kemboi has been twice lucky within a week.
The man who admits he is very serious with his World Championships preparations, says he prefers local competition because there is no room for pretence. Every man is for himself.
Kemboi decided to stake his reputation at the unpredictable North Rift provincial championships where many of his illustrious peers have faltered and is glad he came out unscathed, winning the 1,500m with controlled front running.
On the same weekend, the best from Rift Valley were in Oregon, United States and Seville, Spain for better organised and arranged meetings. Without the benefit of pace makers, those in Eldoret were on their own.
Kemboi has become a common figure in local competitions and has warned his opponents here and abroad he would be in a breathtaking form at the national trials.
His ambition is to win back to back Olympics. He especially wants the world title which was denied him two years ago by Saif Saaeed Shaheen of Qatar.
"I have kept away from high profile world meetings purposefully as a strategy of keeping my opponents guessing. I am sure they will see my ability at the trials."
A battle of supremacy is definitely brewing in the 10,000m. Moss Kimeli ran the fastest time of the season, 28 minutes 0.1 seconds followed by Augustine Togom in 28:04.5 and Emmanuel Mutai in 28:09.02.
The Tecla Lorupe Peace Race champion David Plimo won the 5,000m in 14:07.5. Second was Jonas Cheruiyot of IOC in 14:07.9. Third was Matelong Rono of North Nandi in 14:08.6
Rose Cheruiyot beat Gladys Chemweno, ninth at last year's World Cross-country Championships junior level, after steadily building up pace to lengthen the winning margin. She clocked 16:16.5. Chemweno's efforts yielded 16:23.9 with Vivian Cherono taking third with17:03.4.
Nairobi Prisons women athletes lifted the profile of the annual meeting with their performance, running virtually everything from the sprints to the 10,000m.
The most impressive of the world beating lot was Susan Chepkemei who won the 10,000m on Friday and also led her team mates to victory in the relays with Ndereba emulating her by also attempting the 4x400m.
Three-time world cross country short course champion Edith Masai beat last year's London Marathon champion Margaret Okayo in the 5,000m in the highlight of the two-day meeting at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani.
Masai who skipped this year's world cross is still nursing ambitions of winning the world title on the track and she will be attempting this in Helsinki in the 5,`000m provided she can qualify during the trials. For Okayo this was an opportunity to work on her marathon race in Helsinki. She is also determined to make a meaningful follow up to her London and New York victories.
"This race was good preparation for the World Championships and I want to assure you that I will be in the team to Helsinki," Masai said after the race. The men's results were not as impressive as anticipated although Robert Kipruto won the 3,000m steeplechase race clocking 8:58.1 ahead of John Kipchumba who clocked 9:00:00. Daniel Rotich was third in 9:00.6.
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