Team Uganda pocket Shs22m in Valencia

Kampala.

Uganda’s wait for an individual medal at the IAAF World Half-Marathon Championships will continue to 2020 Gdynia in Poland after a familiar capitulation in Valencia, Spain on Saturday.
The East African nation yet again missed out on the podium and the medal drought at this Championship stretches back to 2004 when the trio of Wilson Busienei, Martin Toroitich and Joseph Nsubuga won a team bronze in New Delhi, India.
On Saturday, Uganda pocketed $6000 (Shs22m) in the team category after taking fifth place in the men’s 21km won by Kenyan Geoffrey Kamworor for the third straight time.
Kamworor, who broke down the classy field with about 4km to go, won in a time of one hour and two seconds to add to his 2014 and 2016 titles in Copenhagen and Cardiff.
Yet, Uganda’s best in the race was Fred Musobo who finished in a distant 20th place after posting a personal best (PB) time of 1:01:38.
That quashed coach Gordon Ahimbisibwe’s earlier talk that Kenya had feared Uganda prior to the race.
More interesting, Jackson Kiprop is the last Ugandan to make a top-10 finish when he came seventh in Karvana, Bulgaria six years ago.
Clearly, the World Half-Marathon is not the ideal pick for Uganda from IAAF’s Athletics Series menu. Team leader Felix Chemonges was six places behind Musobo, also landing a new PB of 1:02:10. Moses Kurong came third in 1:02:27, helping Uganda to fifth place.
Ethiopia led Kenya and Bahrain in the team medal positions on both men and women’s fronts. Jemal Yimer, Getanneh Molla and Betesfa Getahun missed the podium but took 4-5-6 finishes.
In the women’s category, Ethiopian Netsanet Kebede lowered the world record by 14 seconds to 1:06:11, winning $50000 (Shs183m).
Kebede beat Kenyans in race favourite Joyciline Jepkosgei by 53 seconds and Pauline Kamulu came third. Uganda’s best here was Doreen Chesang in 49th place after 1:13:52.

IAAF W. HALF-MARATHON

MEN
1. Geoffrey Kamworor (KEN) 1:00:02
2. Abraham Cheroben (BRN) 1:00:22
3. Aron Kifle (ERI) 1:00:31
20. Fred Musobo (UGA) 1:01:38
26. Felix Chemonges (UGA) 1:02:10
35. Moses Kurong (UGA) 1:02:27
73. Alex Mutai (UGA) 1:04:24
DNS. Moses Kibet (UGA)

TEAM
1. Ethiopia 3:02:14
2. Kenya 3:02:40
3. Bahrain 3:02:52
4. Eritrea 3:03:03
5. Uganda 3:06:15

WOMEN
1. Netsanet Kebede (ETH) 1:06:11
2. Joyciline Jepkosgei (KEN) 1:06:54
3. Pauline Kamulu (KEN) 1:06:56
49. Doreen Chesang (UGA) 1:13:52
69. Emily Chebet (UGA) 1:15:18
95. Adha Munguleya (UGA) 1:19:36

TEAM
1. Ethiopia 3:22:27
2. Kenya 3:23:02
3. Bahrain 3:23:39
16. Uganda 3:48:46

Prize money

INDIVIDUALS
1st - $30,000 (Shs110m)
2nd - $15,000 (Shs55m)
3rd - $10,000 (Shs37m)
4th - $7000 (Shs26m)
5th - $5000 (Shs18m)
6th - $3000 (Shs11m)