World 800 metres champion Mary Moraa on Tuesday anchored Kenya to a 4x400m mixed relay third finish while US-based Winnie Bii and Edwin Kimutai delivered silver medals in triple jump and decathlon respectively at the ongoing African Games in Accra, Ghana.
Moraa took over the baton from David Sanayek, Mourine Thomas and Kennedy Kimeu to clock 3:18.03 behind the Nigerian team that clinched gold with a new African record of 3:13.26, and the Botswana side that came home second in 3:13.99.
Field athletes Bii and Kimutai delivered silver medals in their respective events amid surprise within the athletics circles.
Winnie Bii won silver in triple jump after covering 13.64 behind Nigeria’s Ruth Usoro. Salt Sarr from Senegal completed the podium after posting 13.60 metres.
On the other hand, Kimutai punched above his weight to finish second in the decathlon which was won by Algeria’s Dhiae Cherif (7550 points).
Egyptian Mahmoud Taher Abdelazim wrapped the top three positions after garnering 6643 points.
Earlier on, Moraa had stormed to the 400m final after timing 51.55 in the first semi-final.
Quincy Malekani of Zambia emerged second with 52.18 timing as Malawian Asimenya Simwaka finished third in 53.18.
In the men’s 400m category, Sanayek and Kimeu were over the moon despite exiting the one-lap race in the semi-final stage.
Sanayek finished third in the first semi-final in 46.38 as was his countryman Kimeu who recorded 46.39 but the times were not good enough to move them to the final.
Evans Kiptum won Kenya a bronze medal after posting 29:47:62 in third position in the men’s 10,000m final.
The top two positions of the race were occupied by Ethiopians Bogale Nibret (29:45.37) and Diriba Gemechu (29:45.68).
In the women’s 800m, Kenya’s Vivian Chebet won Kenya bronze in a race which was dominated by Duguma Tsige (1:57.73) and 2019 world 800m champion, Uganda’s Halima Nakaayi, who settled for silver in 1:58.59.
Kenya has so far won 14 medals three silver and 11 bronze and occupies position 25 at the moment.
Egypt still tops the medals table with 165 medals – 92 gold, 40 silver and 85 bronze.
Nigeria comes second with 85 medals – 31 gold, 22 silver and 32 bronze with South Africa Algeria and Tunisia completing the top five respectively.
