National 800m champion Lillian Odira successfully defended her title as the two-day Prison Service Track and Field Championships culminated today at the Ulinzi Sports Complex.
Odira, who had won the 1500m race yesterday, eased to victory in the two-lap race, clocking 2 minutes 8.89 seconds, representing the Western region, followed by Nairobi’s Jacinta Abese in 2:10.09 as Penina Wangari of Rift Valley completed the podium places in 2:12.19 minutes.
She also competed in the 4x400m women’s race.
” I was doing the 400m just for fun, but I’m happy to win again my 800m title, even though I was not keen enough to go for a Personal Best. From here, I’m headed straight to training where my coach and I will be working on my speed, as built up and endurance have already been completed.” Said Odira
Guest athlete Rebecca Mwangi won the 10,000m women’s final in 32 minutes 48.43 seconds, followed by a distant 2nd, Sheila Chepkirui from Rift Valley, in 33 minutes 58.11 seconds, ahead of PSTC’s Millicent Kemunto and Visiline Jepkesho of Eastern in 33:09.57 and 35:11.99 in 3rd and 4th positions, respectively.
“Am not happy with my time but I hope to improve it as I target to make team Kenya for Tokyo.”Said Mwangi
“I want to dedicate this gold to my regional commandant Barnabas Keino, he has mentored so many people and this is the best honour I can give him now that he is headed to retirement,” Chepkirui stated.
Former World under-20 champion Vincent Keter emerged victorious in the 1500m, leading central to a 1-2 finish in 3 minutes 48.91 seconds, followed by Boaz Kurgut in 9:49.37, while Samson Sugut finished 3rd.
The two-day event was used by Prison to select a team to represent them at the national championships set for between the 26th and 28th of this month at the Ulinzi Sports Complex.
Meanwhile, Athletics Kenya has changed the national trials date for selection of Team Kenya for the Tokyo World Athletics Championships to 1st and 2nd August.
The Trials were initially scheduled for the 26th to the 28th of next month.
