Araptany defies heat to advance in steeplechase
Araptany (C)put up a show of steel to storm the steeplechase final yesterday. PHOTO BY AFP
What you need to know:
Olympics. The steeplechase athlete’s advancement could well be the cue Team Uganda needed at the world’s biggest Games.
RIO DE JANEIRO. Until yesterday all the Ugandan athletes who had competed at the Olympics had either fallen out from the first round or failed dismally, Joshua Cheptegei excepted.
Benjamin Kiplagat, a veteran of the 3,000m steeplechase at the Olympics and World Championships, seemed to have continued the poor tide when he clocked 8:30.76 to exit the Olympics in the first heat of the day.
Favourites
That race went to USA’s Bor Hillary, who finished in a time of 8:25.01. Defending champion and favourite Ezekiel Kemboi was third in 8:25.51. Hillary and Kemboi advanced along with Moroccan Elbakkali Soufiane.
For the experienced Kiplagat, his poor show will leave him with a range of questions.
While he was, in all probability, not going to secure a medal of any colour, Kiplagat had mastered the art of qualifying for the next round at major events.
Instead he will be watching compatriot Jacob Araptany, who evoked memories of the promise he showed five years ago by powering to a second-place finish in the third heat.
Sweltering
Araptany crossed the line in 8:21.53, just behind Kenyan Conseslus Kipruto who ran 8:21.40. Given the sweltering temperatures from the morning heat at the Estadio Olympico, Araptany’s advancement could well be the cue Team Uganda needed at the world’s biggest Games.
And with the marathoners in transit from Kampala, Team Uganda will do with something to instigate an upturn in the fortunes of the athletes.
Of the seven medals Uganda has won in Olympic history, three have come from athletics while the other four were in boxing.
The athletics medals came at the Munich edition in 1972 (John Akii-Bua, gold), the Atlanta Games in 1996 (Davis Kamoga, bronze), and the last showpiece of London 2012 (Stephen Kiprotich, gold).
RESULTS
Heat 1
1.Hillary Bor (USA) 8:25.01
2.Soufina Ebakkali (MAR) 8:25.51
3.Ezekiel Kemboi (Kenya) 8:25.51
6. Benjamin Kiplagat (Uganda) 8:30.76
Heat 3
1.Conseslas Kipruto (Kenya) 8:21.49
2. Jacob Araptany (Uganda) 8:21.53
3.Donald Cabral (USA) 8:21.96
TODAY’S EVENTS
1,500m (M), 4:30pm
110m hurdles (M), 5:05pm
200m heats (M), 5:05pm
