Monday, June 6, 2011

Kemboi, Keitany win in Orego

World steeplechase champion Ezekiel Kemboi and former Africa 1,500 metres holder Haron Keitany were among Kenya’s winners at Saturday’s Prefontaine Diamond League athletics meeting in Eugene, Oregon, USA.

Kemboi won the 3,000m steeplechase in eight minutes, 8.34 seconds to finish ahead of compatriot Paul Kipsiele Koech (8:10.13) and Ethiopia’s Gary Roba (8:11.34).

Keitany (3:49.09) defeated Olympic champion Asbel Kiprop to third place in the 1,500m, with Silas Kiplagat (3:49.39) second. Kiprop clocked 3:49.55.

Caster Semenya, whose 800m triumph at the 2009 World Championships was followed by a gender controversy, finished second in the women’s 800m, but said she wasn’t disappointed.

She closed from eighth to second on the final lap, but left herself too much to do and couldn’t threaten race winner Kenia Sinclaire of Jamaica, who won in a world-leading time of 1:58.29.

“The time is good. Under two minutes, 1:58,” said Semenya, who was runner-up in 1:58.88. “Now I can train harder so I can run a fast time. It was good to be back — fans — I miss that a lot.”

Kenya’s Olympic silver medallist Janeth Jepkosgei was second in 1:59.15.

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