Related News
Kemboi dances to glory
Source: Agencies |
September 2, 2011, Friday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
EZEKIEL Kemboi retained his world 3,000 meters steeplechase title yesterday while compatriot Brimin Kipruto was involved in a controversial fight to the finish for silver.
Kenya has now claimed nine of the 13 world steeplechase titles.
After crossing the line in a time of eight minutes 14.85 seconds, Kemboi celebrated his victory in style, stripping to the waist and gyrating his hips to the delight of the Daegu crowd.
Pursued down the track by the championships' canine mascot "Sarbi", Kemboi lapped up the acclaim, wrapped in a Kenyan flag with teammate Abraham Chirchir.
Kipruto, meanwhile, cut a dejected figure, walking with hands on hips and head bowed.
Kemboi dedicated his dancing to Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt, who false-started in the 100 meters and was disqualified from Sunday's final.
"My friend Usain Bolt was not in the final and couldn't dance, so I had to do it for Usain," he said.
"Brimin has run very well this year. I really stretched myself and accelerated to win the race. I think there will be a big celebration in Kenya."
Kipruto, the 2007 champion and 2008 Beijing Olympics gold medalist, watched Kemboi cross the line ahead of him and backed off the pace, allowing Frenchman Mahiedine Mekhissi-Benabbad to close the gap.
The Kenyan suddenly sped up and just held on to second but Mekhissi-Benabbad, who traded blows in an extraordinary incident with a teammate after a race in July, thought Kipruto had impeded him in the race to the line.
"When I start passing him he blocked my path," he told French television. "I told him it was not fair play. He looks behind and changes his line. We have to see the footage, I don't know if we'll lodge a complaint."
Kipruto was disappointed not to win the gold and break the world record in the process.
"You know I am on the podium but my goal was a bit higher than the silver today," he said. "I came here very confident as I felt I could be able to run the world record."
Kenya has now claimed nine of the 13 world steeplechase titles.
After crossing the line in a time of eight minutes 14.85 seconds, Kemboi celebrated his victory in style, stripping to the waist and gyrating his hips to the delight of the Daegu crowd.
Pursued down the track by the championships' canine mascot "Sarbi", Kemboi lapped up the acclaim, wrapped in a Kenyan flag with teammate Abraham Chirchir.
Kipruto, meanwhile, cut a dejected figure, walking with hands on hips and head bowed.
Kemboi dedicated his dancing to Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt, who false-started in the 100 meters and was disqualified from Sunday's final.
"My friend Usain Bolt was not in the final and couldn't dance, so I had to do it for Usain," he said.
"Brimin has run very well this year. I really stretched myself and accelerated to win the race. I think there will be a big celebration in Kenya."
Kipruto, the 2007 champion and 2008 Beijing Olympics gold medalist, watched Kemboi cross the line ahead of him and backed off the pace, allowing Frenchman Mahiedine Mekhissi-Benabbad to close the gap.
The Kenyan suddenly sped up and just held on to second but Mekhissi-Benabbad, who traded blows in an extraordinary incident with a teammate after a race in July, thought Kipruto had impeded him in the race to the line.
"When I start passing him he blocked my path," he told French television. "I told him it was not fair play. He looks behind and changes his line. We have to see the footage, I don't know if we'll lodge a complaint."
Kipruto was disappointed not to win the gold and break the world record in the process.
"You know I am on the podium but my goal was a bit higher than the silver today," he said. "I came here very confident as I felt I could be able to run the world record."
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
