Kenya reigns supreme with four gold medals at African X-Country

The one-day event saw Team Kenya reign supreme in the senior men’s 10km, senior women’s 10km and men’s under-20 categories, and only faltered in the women’s under-20 category where the country’s best performer was Judy Chepkoech, who placed sixth.

18-year-old Vincent Kibet clocked 28:31.28 to lead Naibei Kiplimo to a 1-2 finish for Kenya in the senior men’s 10km race with Ethiopia’s Gemechu Dida Diriba crossing the finish line in 28:57.23 to take bronze.

Africa under 20 5000m bronze medalist Vincent Kimaiyo, Brian Kiptoo, Fredrick Domongole and Robert Kiprop Koech finished in fifth, seventh, ninth and thirteenth respectively.

In the senior women’s category, Birell 10km silver medallist, Cintia Chepngeno  led a 1-2 Kenyan podium as she cut the tape first in 32:31.04 ahead of  the 2010 Youth Olympic Games champion Virginia Nyambura (32:33.45) with Ethiopia’s Azimeraw Asires degitu finishing in third in 33:03.95.

Other Kenyans Gladys Kwamboka, Caren Chebet, Beatrice Nyamboga Begi and Sandrafelis Chebet Tuei finished in fourth, sixth and tenth respectively.

Gideon Kipngetich clocked 23:17 in the 8km race to clinch gold, ahead of Joash Kiprotich Ruto (23:18) and Titus Kiprotich (23:19) who came home second and third respectively.

In the mixed relay category, the Kenyan quartet of Edwin Kiprono, 2019 World Cross Country bronze medallist Winfred Mbithe Victor Mutai and Miriam Cherop clocked 23:30 to clinch the country’s fourth gold, ahead of Ethiopia (23:47) and Morocco (23:50).