It had to take the very last event on the final day to decide Kenya’s nation that would assume the mantle of Africa’s track and field kings for the next couple of years.
The race — men 4X400m relay final. The overall medal standings prior to that, hosts Kenya were leading Nigeria nine gold to eight.
And just as Nairobi 2010 Safaricom Africa Athletics Championships (AAC) ended, yesterday, the quartet of Anderson Mureta, Vincent Koskei, Julius Kirwa and anchor Mark Mutai closed Kenya’s medal account on a winning note.
That left the final tally reading 25 — ten gold, seven silver and eight bronze to confirm Kenya’s standing as the best in the continent for the first time in this event. Wilson Kiprop opened the golden account on the first day when he won the men’s 10,000m.
Yesterday’s Nairobi 2010 finale served Kenya a healthy dish of five new African champions.
After Grace Wanjiru set the ball rolling in the women’s 20km in a continental record performance, Worlds bronze winner, Milcah Chemos appended her name on the Africa champions roster when she stalked Ethiopia’s Sofia Assefa (9:32.58/silver) on the final bend to seal the women 3,000m steeplechase title in 9:32.18. Lydia Rotich, who had laid the race’s marker from the third lap, settled for bronze in 9:37.32 with Mercy Njoroge (9:38.79) coming fourth.
Africa Kings After Olympics and World silver medallist, Janeth Jepkosgei, let slip her women 800m specialty, the crowd needed a lift-up and the men 5,000m trio of Edwin Soi, Vincent Yator and Mark Kiptoo duly obliged with a race of their lives.
Yator hit the front with three laps done and engaged in a breakaway that turned the final into a procession.
Ethiopia’s Imane Merga, Tariku Bekele and Bekana Daba were axed with 1,500m left before Uganda’s main threat, Moses Kipsiro, who bagged men 10,000m silver, was dispensed with 800m to go.
At the bell, Yator continued his front running and was certain of the top medal before he tripped on the rail 20m from the line, allowing Olympics bronze winner, Edwin Soi to nick the top medal in 13:30.46 against the unfortunate leader’s 13:30.53. Kiptoo came in 13:32.45 to complete the first ever AAC Kenyan podium sweep at the event.
Olympic champion, Asbel Kiprop also finally delivered as the favourite in the men’s 1,500m when he raced to a 3:36.19 victory.
At a final that he controlled from the gun. Morocco’s Amine Laalou (3:36.38) and Ethiopia’s Woldegirgis Gebremedhin (3:36.65) won silver and bronze.
There was even time for the crowd to be surprised by Priscilla Isiao silver winning exploits in the women’s Shot put with a best effort of 13.62m. Her coach, Elizabeth Olaba was the last Kenyan to get a medal at the event in 1993 when she won silver as well.
Then fittingly, the men 4X400m relay team struck their seventh AAC gold in 3:02.96 locking out silver winners Botswana (3:05.16) and most importantly, Nigeria who were forced to swallow bronze (3:06.53).
Nigeria (eight gold, five silver and five bronze) came second with outgoing overall champions, South Africa finishing third (six gold, seven silver and six bronze).
Bitter rivals Ethiopia, recorded their worst performance ever with one gold, four silver and four bronze to occupy ninth.

CAROL MUTHONDU