World 1,500m champion Elijah Manangoi, reigning IAAF Diamond League winner Timothy Cheruiyot and Africa U20 400m champion Mary Moraa dazzled as the 2019 National Athletics Championships ended at Nyayo Stadium yesterday.
With world silver 1,500m silver medallist Timothy Cheruiyot once again ran in the 800m race as he seeks to improve his speed ahead of the world championships in Doha, Qatar.
The world champion was expected to battle younger brother George as well as Vincent Kibet, Shadrack Keter, Jonathan Sawe and Charles Simotwo, but none of those was up for the challenge.
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In the end, the 2017 London world championships winner carried the day in a time of 3:37.36 ahead of World U20 winner Kumari Taki 3:37.44 with Justus Soget taking third position in 3:38.91.
Cheruiyot, who has been in great form at the Diamond League races, dominated the 800m smashing his personal enroute to victory.
He timed 1:43.11 beating the previous best of 1:44.60 set during the Kenya Prisons Athletics Championships last month.
Jonathan Kitlit came in second 1:44.50 and Cornelius Tuwei in third with a time of 1:45.30.
“Today was yet another good race. I was using the race to improve my speed. I am happy it worked out,” said the Commonwealth Games silver medallist.
In her last race before leaving for Rabat for the African Games, Moraa became the new champion in the one-lap race; a race she says raises her motivation ahead of the Pan African Games.
“I want to qualify for Doha championships. That is my biggest aspiration as we head to Morocco,” Moraa told People Sport after clocking 52:65 for victory.
In second place was Gladys Musyoki of Kenya Police in 54:13 while Kenya Prisons Nivian Michira took third position in 54:24.
