took all the women’s 3,000 meters steeplechase medals, with Milcah Chemos dominating the event as a world champion to go along with her world leading time of 9.11.65.
Best time in the women’s marathon of 2.19.57, was ran by Kenyan Rita Jeptoo, and the half marathons of 65.45, by Priscah Jeptoo. Men’s best half marathon time of 58.41 was run by Kenyan Bernard Koech.
In other events, the best African performance came surprisingly from javelin thrower; Kenyan, Julius Yego who placed just out of medals in world championships at fourth with a new national record of 85.40 meters, which also happened to be the seventh best throw in the world last year.
In the long jump South African Zarck Visser jumped 8.32m, the fifth best jump in the world while another South African in Godfrey Khotso Mokoena jumped the seventh best jump of 8.30m placing seventh in Moscow.
South African Willem Coertzen broke the African decathlon record with 8343 points, and placed ninth at the Moscow world championships.
Despite Rudisha’s absence and a few other athletes with injuries, 2013 was a great year for African track and field.
Year 2014 has already started fantastically with Zimbabwean Ngoni Makusha back on the track He has already jumped a world leading 8.10 meters in his first long jump competition of 2014. With the Commonwealth Games coming up, 2014 should be a year to look forward to.
did not take part in the world championships due to injury. Kenyan Eunice Sum went on to win the world championships with a personal best, and dominated the event for the rest of the season.
In the men’s 1500 meters Kenyan Asbel Kiprop moved up to fourth place in all-time lists with a time of 3.27.72. He did not run as fast for the rest of the season, but still managed to win the world title in Moscow.
The Women’s 1500 meters was the only distance event not controlled by an African athlete, in theory. Former Ethiopian, now Swedish Abeba Aregawi, went undefeated for the whole season. Behind Aregawi was Kenyan 19-year-old Faith Kipyegon who ran a Kenyan national and African junior record of 3.56.98.
The men’s longer distances, 5,000 meters and 10,000 meters races were won by British Mo Farah in Moscow, but Africans who were disappointed in the world championships still had the world’s best times in both of the events.
In 5,000 meters Farah was actually only the 16th fastest runner with 13.05.88, with the fastest runner of the year being Edwin Soi of Kenya who ran 14 seconds faster, with a time of 12.51.34. Soi only managed to place fifth in Moscow, with the rest of the medals taken by Ethiopian Hagos Gebrhiwet and fellow Kenyan Isaiah Koech.
In the 10,000 meters, Mo Farah’s time of 27.21.71 was only the 11th fastest in the world with Ethiopian Dejen Gebremeskel running the world leading time of the year which was almost half a minute faster, 26.51.02 by. Gebremeskel however placed a disappointing 16th in Moscow, with fellow Ethiopian Ibrahim Jeylan and Kenyan Paul Tanui taking the silver and bronze.
The women’s long distances were the usual battle between Ethiopian Meseret Defar and Tirunesh Dibaba. Defar had the world leading time in the 3,000 and 10,000 meters, while Dibaba held the world lead in 5,000 meters and second fastest time in the 10,000 meters. Defar went on to win the 5,000m at the Moscow world championships and Dibaba the 10,000 meters.
Ezekiel Kemboi was the only runner under the magical 8 minutes in the 3,000 meters steeplechase with a time of 7.59.03. Kemboi also won the world championships. African athletes
Eunice Sum of Kenya celebrates
Track & Field Review Cont'd from P.9