Chris Tsuma
4 May 2008
Addis Ababa — The curtains come down on the 16th edition of the African Athletics Championship with Kenyan men hoping to get one back on their Ethiopian rivals in the highlight race of the day - the 5,000m.
Kenyans got a measure of revenge on Friday with an all-Kenyan podium finish in the men's 3,000m steeplechase led by Richard Matelong, Michael Kipyego and Willy Komen, but that was cancelled almost immediately by a rout of Jebet Lagat 4:16.19 and Irene Jelagat 4:24 by the Ethiopian pair of Gelete Burka and Meskerem Assefa in the 1,500m women's final.
Burka, the All Africa Games champion, clocked 4:08.25 to win gold followed two seconds later by Assefa with Lagat coming fourth.
She was followed home by Jelagat, who stopped the clock at 4:24.39. Namibia's Agnes Samaria 4:1391 took bronze.
So when Joseph Kiplimo, Isaac Songok and Kiprono Menjo line up for Sunday's, they will be well aware that the Ethiopians are two up on them, having taken gold and silver in the women's 5,000m, not forgetting the men's 10,000m humbling on the opening day of competition.
The Kenyans took the men's 800m gold, but it's in the 5,000 and 10,000m that the two neighbours have always sought to establish superiority over each other.
All Africa Games champion Ruth Bosibori leads the women's charge in the 3,000m looking to emulate the men with another electrifying show from 3pm on Sunday afternoon.
She will have Lydia Rotich in support.
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