African Sports Monthly January 2013 Issue | Page 36

Dibaba and Defar embrace and celebrate victory in the 5000 meters

Dejen Gebremeskel from Ethiopia took home the silver medal in the 5000m, while Caster Semenya
from South Africa battled Pamela Jelimo of Kenya in the women’s 800m to come away with the silver and Jelimo who was thought to do better fell short and out of medal contention in the 800metes
finals, Sally Kipyego of Kenya was a major factor in the
women’s 10,000m as she took silver behind Dibaba, Priscah Jeptoo from Kenya got silver in
women’s marathon, and Habiba Ghribi from Tunisia was historical in women’s 3000m steeplechase
bringing home one of Tunisia few medals at the games.
In the Bronze medal category we saw Abdalaati Iguider from Morocco in 1500m, Thomas Longosiwa
from Kenya in the 5000m, Abel Mutai from Kenya in 3000m steeplechase, Sofia Assefa from Ethiopia in women’s 3000m steeplechase, and Tariku Bekele in 10000m all settle for third place in their
events.
Despite the great performances by Africa’s best mostly in the distance events, the dominant performance in London was by the Jamaicans who took pretty much all the sprint medals in both the
male and female categories. The Jamaican men won five medals out of six, along with the 4x100m
relay where they set a new world record. On the women’s side Jamaica got three medals out of six,
and silver in the 4x100m relay. Most of the Jamaican men’s five sprint medals came from one coach:
Glen Mills. Maybe it is time for African sprinters to go see what is happening in Jamaica.

36