Gladys Kwamboka produced a dominant performance at the Betika BingwaFest Coast edition by securing impressive victories in both the 10,000m and 5,000m events.
The 29-year-old athlete first triumphed in the women’s 10,000m, completing the race in 33:39.5.
She executed a strategic race, finishing with a strong final push to outpace Brenda Jepchumba Kenei (33:34.0) and Kadogo Jematian (33:44.16).
Later, she returned to the track to clinch the women’s 5,000m title, finishing in 16:07.2, narrowly defeating Celestine Biwott by just 0.4 seconds in one of the day’s closest finishes, with Kadogo Jematian (16:10.5) taking third place.
Reflecting on her achievements, Kwamboka expressed: “I have been preparing to participate, but earlier in the season, I was unable to due to work commitments. I didn’t anticipate winning today as I am just getting back into form for the season, and I believe I performed well.”
Kwamboka earned Ksh 550,000 for her victories, with KSh 300,000 for the 10,000m win and KSh 250,000 for the 5,000m win.
Stephen Muthini won the men’s 10,000m race, clocking 29:14.7, defeating Edica Kipkorir (29:28.4) and Joseph Ndirangu (29:30.1), who finished second and third, respectively.
In the 5000m, Abel Kirui triumphed in a thrilling race, recording a time of 13:14.0, just ahead of Victor Kimutai, who finished in 13:14.8. Weldon Langat completed the podium with a time of 13:45.0.
Naomi Korir delivered a composed performance to win the women’s 1500m in 4:24.9, with Celestine Biwott (4:26.5) and Christine Komen (4:27.9) finishing second and third, respectively. Kyumbe Munguti claimed victory in the men’s race with a time of 3:46.8, followed by Wilson Larry Merin and Constantine Cheruiyot, who clocked 3:48.3 and 3:48.4, respectively.
Winfrida Makenji from Tanzania powered to victory in the women’s 100m, finishing in 12.3 seconds and holding off a competitive field to beat Maximilla Imali (12.4) and Moureen Wafula (12.5), who took second and third places, respectively. The four-time Tanzanian national champion over 100m embraced the challenge of competing against unfamiliar opponents in a new setting.
“This is an excellent platform for me,” she remarked after her win. “Competing outside your country against athletes you don’t usually face allows you to test your level truly. The conditions, the crowd, and the competition are different. It challenges you both mentally and physically. For me, this was about assessing where I stand, identifying areas for improvement, and pushing myself beyond my comfort zone.”
Attention now turns to the national finals, where top athletes from various regions will compete against each other.
