BEIJING (AP) — Pamela Jelimo and world champion Janeth Jepkosgei ran to a 1-2 finish for Kenya in the women’s 800 meters at the Beijing Olympics.
The 18-year-old Jelimo, a heavy favorite despite switching to the 800m only in April, won Monday night in 1 minute, 54.87 seconds — a world junior record.
[Enlarge] Pamela Jelimo celebrates after winning the women’s 800 meter final.
Jepkosgei took silver in 1:56.07 and Hasna Benhassi of Morocco was third in 1:56.73.
Three-time world champion and Sydney 2000 Olympic gold medalist Maria Mutola of Mozambique finished fifth in 1:57.68 in her fourth and last Olympics.
Pamela Jelimo — From the ISTAF meet in Berlin, Germany June 1, 2008 called
by Dwight Stones and “The voice of Track & Field” Larry Rawson.
References:
1. The New York Times — Kenyan Woman Wins Gold in the 800 Meters — Pamela Jelimo, 18, won a decisive victory in the 800 meters, becoming the first Kenyan woman to win gold.
2. Daily Nation, Kenya — A golden day for Kenya | Jelimo is the first Kenyan woman to win a gold medal at the Olympics. World champion Brimin Kipruto and compatriot Benjamin Kogo cruise to a 1-2 finish in the 3,000 metres steeplechase. Kenya has won all Olympic titles in the 3,000 metres steeplechase save for 1976 and 1980 when it boycotted
Janeth Jepkosgei Celebrates Her Win Kenya’s Janeth Jepkosgei celebrates with the national flag after she won the gold medal in the Women’s 800m final during the World Athletics Championships in Osaka, Japan, on Tuesday. Picture by AP
In a superb display of front-running, Janeth Jepkosgei won Kenya’s first women’s 800 metres global title. Janeth led from start to finish — and won in 1 minute, 56.04 seconds, with Morocco’s Hasna Benhassi getting silver in 1:56.99 and Spain’s Mayte Martinez third in 1:57.62.
“This medal is important for Kenya and for me,” Jepkosgei told reporters. “This is the first medal for middle distance where we don’t have many runners….said Janeth.
“It’s a challenge to my fellow Kenyans to do more at middle distance and not just concentrate on long distances.” ….added Janeth.
Maria Mutola of Mozambique was looking for her fourth world title but her first since 2003. The 2000 Olympic champion tripped up and stopped about 70 meters from the finish after her late challenge faded.
Defending champion Zulia Calatayud of Cuba was eliminated in the semifinals.
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Comments:Kenya’s World Games Athletic team, which was billed as one of the weakest ever, is proving everyone wrong — so far they have bagged a total of 7 medals (3 GOLD 1 SILVER 3 BRONZE), and are positioned in third place, in the overall medals table, just behind the United States and Russia.
I am also proud to note that Kenyan girls seem to be getting better and better, every year — and will some day equal the storied glory of their male counterparts — For example, in Osaka, Japan, other than Janeth’s superb win, the Kenyan ladies are closing the gap in the women’s Steeplechase too.
Ereng’s girl realises her coach’s burning ambition
By Omulo Okoth
The newly-crowned world 800m women’s champion Janeth Jepksogei was a creation of 1988 Seoul Olympic champion Paul Ereng.
Within months of horning her talents, Jepkosgei won the African Junior title in Mauritius. The following year, she won world junior title in Kingston, Janaica, in 2002.
“I knew this girl was destined for greater things. But I want her to win an Olympic title,” Ereng, now cross-country head coach at the University of Texas at El Paso, said on Tuesday.
Ereng was so convinced of the realisation of this ambition that even last year’s victories at the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne and African Championships in Mauritius were to him not good enough.
Steeplechasers had a field day
Jepkosgei has earned her place in the global sporting world. It was clear that Mozambican Maria de Lurdes Mutola was not going anywhere.
I feel sorry for her though for dropping out after realising she stood no chance. Mutola stayed around for too long. One must, however, appreciate staying power at the top for close to two decades.
She first appeared on the global scene in 1988 in Seoul Games and has won all there is to be won, including a $1m Golden Jackpot three years ago!
Our steeplechasers had a field day, too, thanks in part to the absence of Qatar’s Seif Saaeed Shaheen.
The last time they swept the medals was in Athens Olympics in 2004 where Ezekiel Kemboi won gold and Brimin Kipruto the silver.
They swapped the medals on Tuesday. But are we seeing the last of Kemboi, who lost to rookie Willy Komen at last month’s All Africa Games? Only time will tell.
Kenya’s Janeth Jepkosgei celebrates with the national flag after she won the gold medal in the Women’s 800m final during the World Athletics Championships in Osaka, Japan, on Tuesday. Picture by AP
