One lap race witnesses first golds for Libya, Botswana
NAIROBI, July 30 (Xinhua) -- Libya and Botswana clinched their first medals of the Senior Africa Athletics Championship here as Mohammed Khawaja and Amantle Montsho won the men's and women's 400m respectively.
In the men 400m hurdles South Africa clinched both gold and silver while Senegal added a bronze in its collection.
Botswana's Amantle Montsho successfully retained her 400m women title in the third day of the championship here in Nairobi.
There was no threat to her dominance of the one lap race as she controlled it from the blocks all the way to the finish line. The victory earned Botswana its first medal in the championship.
Senegal's Amy Mbacke Thiam was reduced to battle for the silver with Nigeria's Shade Abugan in the final straight.
However, it was Thiam who proved to be stronger as she clinched the silver in 51.32 seconds while Abugan Chanel Bags Replica was the bronze medallist in 51.63. It was the second silver for Senegal after clinching one in hammer on Thursday.
Another Senegalese Seck Fatou Soumah was fourth in 51.93 ahead of Estie Wittstock of South Africa 52.60 and Racheal Nachula of Zambia 53.26. Nawal Eljack of Sudan was seventh in 53.80 while Rebecca Nachula was last in 54.12.
In the men 400m race, Khawaja stun his rivals and bookies as he emerged from the final bet stronger to pull away from his rivals to clinch the gold in 44.98 ahead of Rabah Yousif of Sudan who took silver in 45.18 while third place was hard to determine between Africa record holder Gary Kikaya of Democratic Republic of Congo and Kenya's Mark Mutai.
However, after deliberation and review of the photo finish, it was Kikaya that was crowned with a bronze Gucci Replica medal with a time of 45.28 the same as Mutai.
"I am really happy to win here. It really means a lot for me. I thank my coach and family for helping me get this achievement," said Khawaja.
Kikaya, who was gunning to reclaim the title he lost in Addis Ababa, was happy with the bronze medal and said his vast age has forced him to slow down.
"I really wanted to win here, but the younger athletes are really strong. I spent more energy in the first 300m and was tired on coming to the final straight. But am ok with bronze medal," said Kikaya.
Botswana's Obakeng Ngwigwa was fifth in 45.50 edging out a late charge from favourite and American based Anderson Mureta of Kenya 45.62 while Nigeria's grip in the sprint was not witnessed, as Saul Weigopwa was seventh in 45.93 with Ethiopia's Bereke Gebretsadik Desta 47.14.
In the 400m hurdles, Zyl Van (south Africa) clinched gold in 48.51 while Cornel Fredericks took the silver in 48.79 while Kasse Mamadou Hanne claimed the bronze in 49.10.
Host Kenya were unlucky yet again in their quest to venture into the sprints as Vincent Kiplagat finished fourth in 49.70 while Leonel Kurt Couto of Mozambique was fifth in 49.79 while Tunisia's Mohammed Seghair was sixth in 50.05. Antonio Viellesse (Mauritius) 51.08 and Hafz Hussein (Sudan) was last in 52.02.
In other races, South Africa's Lehann Fourie won in heat one of the men 110m hurdles race clocking 13.73 to edge out Samuel Okon of Nigeria 13.95 and Lyes Mokddel of Algeria 14.19 to qualify to the finals.
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