Kibet’s patience pays off with Africa U20 gold

Two months ago, Dan Kibet painfully accepted fourth place in the junior men’s 8km race at the World Cross-country Championships in Bathurst, Australia.

He actually departed the city empty handed. Even an additional sixth and 11th place finishes by Kenneth Kiprop and Hosea Chemutai respectively, did not yield a team medal.

Uganda had entered only three runners for the race yet a team medal required four runners. But, Kibet’s patience finally paid off.

On Tuesday, Kibet won his first career medal after he floored the field to win the U20 men’s 5000m final during the Africa Athletics U18/U20 Championships in Ndola, Zambia.

The youngster who hails from Chemwania in Kween district posted a time of 13 minutes and 22.04 seconds to beat 19 other competitors.  

“The feeling is unexplainable,” Kibet spoke to officials after the race. “It’s really good to win this gold medal,” he added.

Kibet’s triumph is akin to Boniface Kiprop’s 5000m victories during the 2001 and 2003 editions in Réduit, Mauritius and Garoua, Cameroon respectively.

Kibet started his athletics journey in 2019 and got a touch from coaches like Addy Ruiter and Denis Okudach through the camp built by Dutch company Global Sports Communication (GSC) in Chemwania a year ago.

“I knew that he was better than ever, but in a tournament like this, you don’t know the level of the other boys. Yes, a medal was realistic, but gold is fantastic,” Kibet’s happy coach Ruiter said.

“We started that camp and it’s nice that we have picked the fruits already,” he added. Kibet’s training partner Gideon Rotich had brought smiles earlier by picking a bronze medal over the U20 3000m steeplechase final.

Rotich posted 9:01:21 to take third place behind gold winner Kenyan Emmanuel Wafula and Ethiopian Desta Amesalu who came second.

“It was a tactical race. This medal is a surprise for us,” Ruiter admitted. Rotich hails from Bukwo and he was discovered in 2021 through one of the GSC talent races in the Sebei region.

U20 MEN’S 5000M FINAL

1 Dan Kibet (UGA)                            13:22.04         

2 Beyn Bereket (ERI)                         13:45.57         

3 Zenebe Tadesse (ETH)                    13:45.93         

7 Kenneth Kiprop (UGA)                   13:52.63         

U20 MEN’S 3000M STEEPLECHASE FINAL

1 Emmanuel Wafula (KEN)               8:56.91

2 Desta Amesalu (ETH)                      9:00.24

3 Gideon Rotich (UGA)                     9:01:21

U18 WOMEN’S 1500M FINAL

1 Nancy Cherop (KEN)                      4:10.73           

2 Joyline Chepkemoi (KEN)               4:13.20           

3 Aselef Amare (ETH)                        4:20.50           

7 Felister Chekwemoi (UGA)             4:31.90

U18 WOMEN’S 2000M ST. FINAL

1 Fenta Alemnat (ETH)                      6:14.29

2 Gesese Ayana (ETH)                       6:18.55           

3 Diana Chepkemoi (KEN)                6:23.70           

5 Loice Chekwemoi (UGA)               6:31.12           

7 Financia Chepkwemoi (UGA)         7:00.18

U20 MEN’S 100M SEMIFINAL HEAT 2

1 Isaac Omurwa (KEN)                      10.61

2 Lukundo Kapambalala (ZAM)        10.61

3 Wilbroad Hamukonda (NAM)        10.92  

4 Rajab Lomutho (UGA)                    11.00

KIBET AT A GLANCE

Born: Feb 10, 2004

Major Event: 5000m

Personal Best: 13:19.38

Coach: Addy Ruiter

Major Honour: 5000m Gold (2023 Africa U20 Athletics Champs)