Elias Makori
17 August 2008
Beijing — Kenya will celebrate its first gold medals of the Beijing Olympic Games Monday when the men's 3,000 metres steeplechase and the women's 800 metres finals are held at the 91,000-seater National Olympic Stadium.
Kenya will also celebrate the first women's gold medal at the Olympics when world champion Janeth Jepkosgei and world leading runner at the moment, Pamela Jelimo, bring their rivalry to the highest stage of world sport in the latter race.
The men's steeplechase challenge will be headed by defending Olympic champion Ezekiel Kemboi, world champion Brimin Kipruto and World Championships bronze medallist Richard Mateelong with Kemboi in pole position.
In the men's 1,500m, World champion Bernard Lagat of the US failed to qualify for the final Sunday and American hopes of their first title in the event for 100 years are over.
Lagat, who has won silver and bronze for Kenya in the Olympic 1,500 metres, took sixth in his semi-final and missed the last qualifying spot for Tuesday's final. Kenya's Asbel Kiprop and Augustine Yego have qualified for the final.
As expected, Ethiopia's Kenenisa Bekele won the men's 10,000m gold last night with fellow countryman Sileshi Sihine maintaining his bridesmaid role by finishing second ahead of the battling Kenyan pair of Micah Kogo and Moses Masai in third and fourth.
Things heated up
The third Kenyan in the race, Martin Irungu Mathathi, was seventh. "This man Bekele is unbeatable. We have tried all tactics to beat him but he's just impossible. We have to wait until his career ends," Mathathi said.
Bronze medallist Kogo said the pace was a bit slow. "We didn't expect it to be that slow and when in the final laps things heated up, it was too late for us to keep up the pace with Bekele. He's in a class of his own at the moment but I'm sure I can beat him."
Tanzania's early pace setter Fabiano Joseph said he was determined to win the race but he was spiked in the crowd.
"I was very much determined that this was going to be my big day but the spiking held me back." World marathon record holder and former Olympic champion Haile Gebrselassie fought for a sixth place finish with Eritrea's world half marathon champion Zersenay Tadese fourth.
"Im happy with my performance and that I have won an Olympic gold medal for the second time," Bekele said. "We did not prepare any tactics as Ethiopia.
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