Eritrea continued its dominance on the third day of the CAC Africa Cycling Championships in Eldoret, Uasin Gishu County, with an impressive medal haul on Friday.
The Eritrean team collected five medals—three gold, one silver, and one bronze—showcasing their strength, particularly in the junior men’s and women’s categories. Kevin Teklemariam and Nardos Tsegay both secured gold in their respective races, with Eritrea sweeping the men’s podium in races covering 100.8 km and 67.2 km.
Teklemariam, who had already won the time trial on the opening day, went on to capture the junior men’s title. His compatriots, Nahom Efriem, who had won bronze in the time trial, took silver, while Eldana Bereket rounded off the all-Eritrean podium.
Reflecting on his victory, Teklemariam attributed his success to his preparation. “It wasn’t easy, but my hard work paid off. Leading my country to sweep the podium makes this win even more special,” he said.
Teklemariam finished the race in 2:23:38 and is now setting his sights on representing Eritrea at the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
For Kenya, Ian Kipchirchir and Billy Mangwana Mbolo finished 9th and 14th, respectively, while Stanley Ngugi Kinyanjui and Bob Waithaka were unable to complete the 35-man race, with 21 cyclists crossing the finish line.
In the junior women’s race, Tsegay took gold with a time of 2:03:08, followed by Uganda’s Nantume Miria in second place, and Eritrea’s Eldana Bereket winning bronze. Kenya’s Sherry Chepkemboi was the sole local competitor, finishing 13th out of 18 participants, with 15 cyclists completing the race.
