Dorcus Inzikuru in Kampala (© Daniel Senfuma)
Former World 3000m Steeplechase champion Dorcus Inzikuru returned on the track at the Akii Bua Kampala Pan Africa Permit Meeting held at the Mandela National Stadium, Namboole near the Ugandan capital on Saturday (7).
Inzikuru happy with return, Bayigga still top regional sprinter
Inzikuru, now a mother didn’t run her favourite Steeplechase but rather made the start list of the day’s 5000m, where she finished in ninth in 18:50.0. This was her first appearance on the track since her DNF at the 2007 World Cross Country Championships held at the Kenyan coastal town of Mombasa.
The former champion managed to cope with the pace with the leading trio of Dorcus Chesang, Adero Nyakisi and Gladys Cheptagat in the opening five laps but it was evident as the laps increased she soon lost the pace to let her team-mate Chesang win the race in 16:04.3 while Nyakisi and Cheptagat crossed with 16:10.5 and 16:28.9 in second and third positions respectively.
“Today is my first appearance on track.I am happy that I’m back on the scene. However, my biggest problem now is that I’m overweight. I need to cut it down from 50kg to my normal 48kg to return to serious competition. The current top athletes and those emerging in my absence in the Steeplechase should wait for my return in style,” Inzikuru warned.
Ugandan sprinter Justine Bayigga cemented her supremacy in the female sprints as she won both the 200m and 400m finals with 24.0s and 52.8s but this wasn’t enough to see her make the 2008 Beijing Olympics team. Bayigga blames failure to qualify for Beijing Olympics to absence of top regional sprinters in the Kampala and Addis Ababa CAA Grand Prix meets. “I would have made it had they not turned down the invitations. I am very disappointed because I had no serious challenger,” said Bayigga.
Teenager wins 3000m
Newly found talent Sylvia Chelangat, just 14, became the highlight of the Akii Bua Invitational organized along side with the CAA permit meet. Chelangat beat the experienced duo of Jackline Cheruto and Irene Chemisto to the finish line in a time of 9:46.6 seconds. Cheruto and Chemisto both former Ugandan champions over the distance finished second and third respectively. Like many Ugandan distance stars, Chelangant also hails from the altitude areas of Bukwo where Moses Kipsiro, Boniface Kiprop and Abraham Chepkirwok hail.
Toroitich impresses
Although Uganda’s on-form distance star Moses Kipsiro failed to turn up for the Grand Prix, 2007 World Cross Country bronze medallist Martin Toroitich kept fans excited after his tactical triumph in the 5000m finals that he won in a time of 13:39.8. Toroitich, an elder brother to Boniface Kiprop had to see off Moses Kibet and Dickson Huru in the final 5m to take the day. Kibet crossed in second with 13:40.8 while Huru finished in third position with 13:52.6.
In the 1500m finals, Ethiopian Henok Legesse surprised homeboys Jimmy Adar and Alex Cherop when he out sprinted the duo in the final 100m to win with 3:45.6 while Adar who had led right from the start crossed in second with 3:46.5 and Cherop third with 3:46.8. Both Adar and Cherop qualified for the 12th World Junior Championships due 8-13 July in Bydgoszcz.
Daniel Senfuma and Namayo Mawerere for IAAF
Leading results -
Men
200m
1. Soi Kipkemoi (Kenya) 21.4
2. Awad Elkarim Maki (Sudan) 21.5
3. Wellington Nyakundi (Kenya) 21.8
400m
1. Mohamed Musbah (Libya) 47.1
2. Awad Elkarim Maki (Sudan) 47.4
3. Waisswa Lukungu (Uganda) 47.6
1500m
1. Henok Legesse (Ethiopia) 3:45.6
2. Jimmy Adar (Uganda ) 3:46.5
3. Alex Cherop (Uganda) 3:46.8
5000m
1. Martin Toroitich (Uganda) 13:39.8
2. Moses Kibet (Uganda) 13:40.8
3. Dickson Huru (Uganda) 13:52.6
Women
200m
1. Justine Bayigga (Uganda) 24.0
2. Fayza Omer (Sudan) 24.5
3. Emilly Nanziri (Uganda) 25.0
400m
1. Justine Bayigga (Uganda) 52.8
2. Fayza Omer (Sudan) 53.9
3. Emilly Nanziri (Uganda) 54.8
800m
1. Sheto Wencha (Ethiopia) 2:06.2
2. Ehsan Gibril (Sudan) 2:07.4
3. Monica Akello (Uganda) 2:08.6
5000m
1. Dorcus Chesang (Uganda) 16:04.3
2. Adero Nyakisi (Uganda) 16:10.5
3. Gladys Cheptagat (Uganda) 16:28.9
9. Dorcus Inzikuru (Uganda) 18:50.0