The newly crowned World Under-20 3,000m champion Betty Chelangat has dedicated the gold medal to her parents in Kapenguria, West Pokot County.
Chelangat, who stormed to victory on Monday night in the first final event at the ongoing World Athletics Under-20 Championships in Cali, Colombia, said that her parents have ebb supportive of her career and she wanted to make them proud.
Chelangat handed the country its first gold of the event after winning in a time of 9:01.03 ahead of Ethiopia’s Tsiyon Abebe, who bagged silver in 9:03.85, while Kenya’s Nancy Cherop settled for bronze in 9:05.98.
“My parents (Alexander Chepkwony and Chepo Cherukeach Akiria) have been supportive in my athletics journey and I dedicate this win to them,” she told Nation Sport.
It was a slow race that saw Kenyans run tactically with Ethiopian athletes being careful before they increased pace in the fourth lap with Chelangat taking control of the race to the finish line.
“We entered into the race knowing that Ethiopian athletes are tough and we had to do our calculations on how to run with them. That is why we ran from behind before surging forward,” she added.
Chelangat has been training in Iten, Elgeyo Marakwet County under coach John Litei before she was recruited to join Kenya Prisons Service which forced her to change her training base.
Chelangat bagged victory during the national trials at the Nyayo Stadium in Nairobi last month, with Cherop coming in second.
Chelangat missed out on last year’s global event held in Nairobi after finishing fourth in the 1,500m race during the national trials.
She started the season with a third-place finish in the four-lap race during the Kenya Prisons National Championships at Kasarani in April.
Cherop on her part said she was happy with the bronze medal and was glad that team work worked for them.
“We planned on how to execute the race and it worked, though I didn’t have the finishing power, but I’m glad to have won a bronze medal,” said Cherop who trains in Iten.
Last year, Kenya won gold and silver medal in the distance through Japan-based Teresiah Muthoni and Zenah Jemutai, with Ethiopia’s Melknat Wudu settling for third place.
In the men’s 5,000m final, Kenya missed out on a medal after Samuel Kibathi and Nelson Mandela finished sixth and eighth respectively.
Ethiopia’s Addisu Yihune won gold in 14:03.05 ahead of Eritrea’s Merhawi Mebrahtu, who clocked 14:03.33, while his compatriot Samuel Habtom settled for bronze in 14:03.67.
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