Sports

Clean sweep for Kenya at World Cross Country mixed relay race

Published

2 months ago

March 30, 2024

It was a clean sweep for Kenyan athletes at the ongoing World Athletics Cross Country Championships in Belgrade, Serbia, as its mixed relay team regained their title seven years after winning at the inaugural edition.

It was much more delightful as the East African country regained their title with a dominant display, pipping fellow Africans and arch-rivals, Ethiopia, to the silver medal while Great Britain & Northern Ireland took bronze.

Kenyan teenage sensation, Reynold Cheruiyot, led for most of the first lap with a stiff challenge from Uganda’s Hosea Kiprop tried his best to match the World U20 1500m champion for the first half of the circuit, but the Kenyan proved too strong.

According to World Athletics, Morocco’s Hafid Rizqy and Ethiopia’s Taresa Tolosa were close behind Cheruiyot, while Serbia’s Elzan Bibic was also in contention, much to the delight of the home supporters lining the course.

“On the final bridge, Bibic briefly moved into second place, just a few strides behind Cheruiyot, but Ethiopia’s Tolosa then came through in the closing stages and handed over almost level with Cheruiyot.”

“Virginia Nyambura took up the running for Kenya on the second leg. The African cross-country silver medallist maintained a lead of about five metres over Ethiopia’s Dahdi Dube for most of the way as the lead duo carved out a 17-second lead over the rest of the field.

“The duo managed to distance themselves from the rest of the competitors, with Nyambura handing over a slender lead to Kyumbe Munguti.

“Munguti’s performance on the third leg was nothing short of spectacular, widening the gap and setting the stage for a Kenyan victory.

“However, the race was not without its challenges. Ethiopia faced an unexpected setback when Adehana Kasaye accidentally stepped on the foot of his teammate Birri Abera during the exchange, leading to Abera losing her shoe.

“This mishap resulted in a significant delay for Ethiopia, giving Kenya an even more considerable advantage.

“Purity Chepkirui, running the anchor leg for Kenya, capitalized on the lead. With an outstanding display of speed Chepkirui crossed the finish line in 22:15, securing the gold for Kenya.

“Despite the earlier incident, Abera managed to finish strong, securing the silver for Ethiopia, while Bethan Morley’s impressive final leg ensured that Great Britain & Northern Ireland did not leave empty-handed, securing the bronze.”

Sports

Egyptian midfielder Elneny announces departure from Arsenal after eight years

Published

30 mins ago

May 18, 2024

Akanimoh Etim

Egypt and Arsenal midfielder, Mohamed Elneny, has announced his departure from the club at the end of this season after eight years at the North London club.

Elneny who made the announcement in a video on Friday, said he will depart the club following the expiration of his contract.

Elneny joined Arsenal from Swiss side Basel in 2016 and made 161 appearances but in the last two seasons, the Egyptian midfielder has struggled for playing time due to a combination of injuries and loss of form.

In 2019, under former manager Unai Emery, he was loaned out to Besiktas for the 2019-20 campaign, where he played 36 times for the Turkish side.

Upon returning to Arsenal, he found a more prominent role under new manager Mikel Arteta.

Elneny’s contract was due to expire at the end of last season, but Arsenal opted to extend it by an additional year. With this extension now coming to an end, it has been widely reported that the 31-year-old will leave the club this summer.

In the video on X, Elneny said:

“Gooners, I’m here today to send you a message. To say goodbye and thank you for everything you’ve done for me, the love, the support, and the kindness. I am really going to miss you so much and you will be in my heart forever.

“I wanted to say how much I love you and how much you mean to me. I will never forget the way you supported me. I am going to see you on Sunday at the Emirates Stadium to say goodbye face to face.”

He added that he would bid farewell to fans at the Emirates on Sunday as Arsenal host Everton in their final league match.

Though Elneny did not say where he would go after leaving Arsenal, it is believed he will be heading to the Saudi Arabian league to join a horde of elite players who have made the Saudi League the new football haven.

Sports

Ethiopian marathon legend Bekele returns to Olympics after 12-year absence

Published

1 day ago

May 17, 2024

Akanimoh Etim

After a 12-year absence on the international race circuit, Ethiopian marathon legend, Kenenisa Bekele, has announced that he will return for the 2024 Olympic Games in July after he was named in a 10-member team on Thursday.

The 41-year-old Bekele last competed in the London Games in 2012 when he finished fourth in the men’s 10,000m before he was overlooked for the 2016 and 2020 Olympics.

His surprise return to the Ethiopian team came after a remarkable second-place finish at the London Marathon in April which was enough to earn him a place for the Paris Olympics in a squad which also features women’s world record holder Tigist Assefa.

In his heydays, Bekele won three Olympic golds in the 5,000m and 10,000m, and is now expected to renew his rivalry with reigning Olympic champion and former world record holder, Eliud Kipchoge of Kenya who was also named in the Kenyan team.

In August 2003, Kipchoge dusted his Ethiopian rival when the two met for the first time at the Paris World Championships, holding on to win the 5,000m race, pipping Moroccan Hicham El Guerrouj into second place while Bekele finished third.

Bekele made his marathon debut in April 2014 when he produced the sixth-fastest run over the distance in Paris but his career has been hampered by injuries.

Other members of the Ethiopian men’s team for the Olympics are Sisay Lemma, the Valencia marathon champion, and Deresa Geleta, while 2023 New York marathon champion and 2022 world champion Tamirat Tola and Eusedin Mohammed, are standby reserves.