Two silver medals for Uganda as Kipyeko defies Kenyans

Phillip Kipyeko (FILE PHOTO UAF)

New kid on the block Phillip Kipyeko grabbed a silver to deny Kenya a clean sweep of the medals at the 4th Africa Cross Country Championships in Yaounde, Cameroon.

It was gold-silver-bronze in the junior women and senior women's races for Kenya before Kipyeko halted another 1-2-3 finish, only edged to the men's title by just one second.

James Rungaru won the men's senior 10km race gold in 26mins 34 secs, Kipyeko grabbed got silver in 36 mins 35 secs with bronze going to Kenyan Charles Yosei in 26 mins 46 secs.

Ugandans secured a Team silver medal (results of best four) when Mande Abdallah came in 8th in 27 min 15secs, followed by Daniel Rotich in 27 mins 38 secs and Thomas Ayeko 11th in 27 min 55 secs.

Kipyeko is a 2014 world junior mountain-running and Uganda's reigning national cross country champion. He is one of nine athletes who have already hit the Olympic qualifying time.

Those who have hit Rio 2016 qualifying times are marathoners  Stephen Kiprotich, Jackson Kiprop, Solomon Mutai and Alex Chesakit, Adero Nyakesi in the women’s marathon, Joshua Cheptegei and Tim Toroitich in the 10,000m, Kipyeko in the 5,000m and Ronald Musagala in the 1500.

Results via @SaddiqueShaban 

Kenya swept gold in all the team titles, junior men and women and senior men and women races.

In the women's senior race, Stella Chesang was 10th in  32 mins 42 secs in another race that had a Kenyan 1-2-3 finish. Race was won by Almice Naworirina 29mins 52 secs.

In the women's junior race, best placed Ugandan was Janat Chemusto in 14th place, while in the Junior men's race Mande Burshendich came 11th in 22 mins 41 secs, in a race again won by Kenyan Isaac Kipsang in 21 mins 33 secs.

The last edition was held in Kampala in 2014 African Cross Country, where Uganda won three medals, a silver for senior men and two bronze, senior and junior women.

LEADING RESULTS
Senior men 10km
1 James Rungaru (KEN) 26:34
2 Phillip Kipyeko (UGA) 26:35
3 Charles Yosei (KEN) 26:46
4 Cleophas Ngetich (KEN) 26:52
5 Geoffrey Koech (KEN) 27:09
6 Getaneh Tamire (ETH) 27:13

Senior men team
1 Kenya
2 Uganda
3 Ethiopia

Senior women 8km
1 Alice Aprot (KEN) 29:52
2 Sheila Chepkirui (KEN) 30:44
3 Beatrice Mutai (KEN) 31:08
4 Dera Yami (ETH) 31:13
5 Daisy Chepkemei (KEN) 31:29
6 Nancy Nzisa (KEN) 31:30

Senior women team
1 Kenya
2 Ethiopia
3 South Africa

Junior men 8km
1 Isaac Kipsang (KEN) 21:33
2 Ronald Kiprotich (KEN) 21:44
3 Aron Kifle (ERI) 21:48
4 Anthony Kiptoo (KEN) 21:56
5 Andrew Lorot (KEN) 21:59
6 Nixon Kiplagat (KEN) 22:11

Junior men team
1 Kenya
2 Ethiopia
3 South Africa

Junior women 6km
1 Miriam Cherop (KEN) 18:31
2 Gloria Kite (KEN) 18:39
3 Winfredah Mbithe (KEN) 18:40
4 Lucy Cheruiyot (KEN) 18:42
5 Muliye Dekobo (ETH) 18:52
6 Tersit Desalgn (ETH) 19:02

Junior women team
1 Kenya
2 Ethiopia

3 Morocco