More work to do for Chemutai, Kibet

For coach Addy Ruiter, his glass was half full at the weekend after he watched his two athletes Dan Kibet and Peruth Chemtuai compete in Asia.

Youngster Kibet missed out on hitting his goal during his outdoor season opening race at the Xiamen leg of the Wanda Diamond League in China on Saturday.

The 20-year-old struggled to replicate his early form of 2024, when he took a distant 17th place finish in a time of 13 minutes and 24.64 seconds after the men’s 5000m race at the Xiamen Egret Stadium.

“Dan was totally not good. That was not the level he showed in Tororo and Belgrade,” Dutch man Ruiter said.

Back in February, Kibet came second behind Jacob Kiplimo after the senior men’s 10km race during the National Cross-country Championships.

Last month, Kibet came 11th but he scooped a team silver medal during the World Athletics Cross-country Championships in Belgrade, Serbia.

In Xiamen, Kibet fell short of beating the qualifying standard of 13:05.00 to book a ticket to the Paris Olympics due August in France.

“The race was good but the body didn’t respond the last 1km,” Kibet reacted. Pacemakers Frenchman Akbache Mounir and Australian Callum Davies took the pack through 1000m and 2000m with the clock reading 2:36.66 and 5:12.71 respectively.

At halfway point, there was a charge and group of about 10 men led by Kenyan Nicholas Kipkorir seemed to have broken away.

At the stage, Kibet was adrift in 14th place and evidently, the pace of the group ahead was quite high for him. It means the Africa U20 5000m champion will have to attempt the same target in a race in the near future.

Similarly, reigning Olympic champion Chemutai will have some more work to do before Paris following a third place during the women’s 3000m steeplechase.

Chemutai posted a time of 9:12.99 behind Kenyans; winner Beatrice Chepkoech and Faith Cherotich. More significantly, it was a refreshing performance for the Ugandan who had struggled with illness throughout 2023.

“Peruth, not too bad for (this time in the season) April. Hopefully, she will continue to improve step by step in the coming months,” added Ruiter.

Away from Xiamen where Sweden Armand Duplantis also broke the pole vault world record to 6.24 metres, former 800m world champion Halimah Nakaayi posted 1:59.89 in fifth place during the Kip Keino Classic in Nairobi, Kenya.

Sprinter Shida Leni however once missed hitting the Olympic qualifying standard of 50.95 seconds over 400m. She came third in a time of 52.41.

WANDA DIAMOND LEAGUE

XIAMEN LEG RACE RESULTS

WOMEN’S 1500M

1 Gudaf Tsegay (ETH)                       3:50.30

2 Birke Haylom (ETH)                       3:53.22

13 Winnie Nanyondo (UGA)             4:06.09

WOMEN’S 3000M STEEPLECHASE

1 Beatrice Chepkeoch (KEN)             8:55.40

2 Faith Cherotich (KEN)                    9:05.49

3 Peruth Chemutai (UGA)                  9:12.99

MEN’S 5000M

1 Lamecha Girma (ETH)                    12:58.96

2 Nicholas Kipkorir (KEN)                 12:59.78

17 Dan Kibet (UGA)                          13:24.64

WORLD ATHLETICS CONTINENTAL TOUR GOLD

KIP KEINO CLASSIC

WOMEN’S 400M

1 Kemi Adekoya (BRN)                     51.63

3 Leni Shida (UGA)                           52.41

WOMEN’S 800M

1 Mary Moraa (KEN)                         1:57.96

5 Halimah Nakaayi (UGA)                 1:59.89

WOMEN’S 1500M

1 Mary Ekiru (KEN)                           4:06.26

11 Nowel Cheruto (UGA)                  4:28.25

WOMEN’S 5000M

1 Marta Alemayo (ETH)                     15:14.54

9 Vicky Chekwemboi (UGA)             16:36.85

WOMEN’S 3000M STEEPLECHASE

1 Stella Rutto (ROU)                          9:39.57

11 Nancy Chepkwurui (UGA)           10:17.86

MEN’S 1500M

1 Reynold Cheruiyot (KEN)              3:31.96

8 Jacob Sande (UGA)                         3:43.64

MEN’S 5000M

1 Abdisa Fayisa (ETH)                       13:34.77

9 Titus Musau (UGA)                         14:46.31

MEN’S 3000M STEEPLECHASE

1 Abraham Kibiwot (KEN)                8:20.54

13 Elphas Toroitich (UGA)                9:02.66