Zakithi Nene won 400m gold at Kip Keino Classic with sub-44-second

Three weeks after leading South Africa to victory in the 4x400m relay at the World Relays, Zakithi Nene achieved another remarkable feat at the Kip Keino Classic. He won the men’s 400m in Nairobi in a season-high world time of 43.74 sec. The race saw six meeting records and two world-leading times for the season.

Zakithi Nene’s triumph in the 400m was both. The South African broke away from a quality pack to win by more than a second, half a second bettering his personal best of 44.22 sec set at the South African Championships earlier this year. His time of 43.74 sec moves him to 16th in the all-time rankings.

Chidi Okezie (Nigeria) finished second in 44.98 sec, while Zablon Ekwam (Kenya) was third in 45.01 sec.

Jonah Koech (USA) proved that his 1,500m victory at the Diamond League in Rabat was not just a sensation. He equaled the meeting record of 1:43.32 min to win the men’s 800m ahead of Kenyan athletes Nicholas Kiplangat Kebenei (1:43.75 min) and Alex Ngeno Kipngetich (1:45.17 min).

Mercy Oketch, who helped Kenya secure a place in the 4x400m medley relay at the World Championships, enjoyed a moment of individual glory. She won the women’s 400m in 50.14 sec, breaking both the tournament record and Kenya’s national record.

Lilian Odira, the silver medalist at the African Championships, defeating Oratile Nowe (Botswana) to win the women’s 800m in 1:58.31 min. Oratile Nowe held on for second in 1:58.47 min ahead of Sarah Moraa (1:58.96 min), with all three athletes achieving personal bests.

Uganda’s athlete Sarah Chelangat broke away midway through the women’s 5,000m to win in 15:03.33 min ahead of Maurine Jepkoech Chebor (Kenya) in 15:14.57 min.

Hailemariyam Amare (Ethiopia) waited patiently in a lead group of three in the final metres of the men’s 5,000m, then made his move 200m from the finish to win in 13:34.02 min.

Young Kenyan athletics talent Edmund Serem won the men’s 3,000m steeplechase. Dinka Fikadu (Ethiopia) put up a strong challenge in the final metres, but Edmund Serem won in 8:27.68 min to Dinka Fikadu’s 8:27.97 min.

Wosane Assefa (Ethiopia) produced a strong final sprint to win the women’s steeplechase in 9:30.68 min.

Abel Kipsang won the men’s 1,500m in 3:35.09 min ahead of compatriot Mathew Kipchumba Kipsang (3:35.87 min).