Sande Bashaija
4 September 2008
Kampala — The curtains are drawing on the international track and field season and Abraham Chepkirwok is still soldiering on despite the Olympic Games disappointment.
The Ugandan runner posted one minute, 45 seconds to finish third in an 800m race at the Athletissima 2008 meet in Lausanne, a Super Grand Prix status meeting of the IAAF World Athletics Tour 2008. Despite being one of the favourites at the just concluded Olympics in Beijing, Chepkirwok bowed out at the semifinal stage, finishing seventh out of eight.
But the 19-year-old runner exorcised the Beijing demons, outsprinting Olympic gold medallist Wilfred Bungei in the two-lap race. Kenyan Bungei was timed at 1:45.31. But for Chepkirwok, beating Bungei wasn't consolation enough since he failed to grab top position or equal his personal best. It was another Kenyan Asbel Kiprop, who clocked 1:44.71 to win the race.
RESULTS
800m results
Asbel Kiprop (KEN) 1:44.71
Alfred Kirwa (KEN) 1:44.77
A. Chepkirwok (UGA) 1:45.00
W. Bungei (KEN) 1:45.31
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