Africa Games: Serem happy with steeplechase silver

Kenya’s Amos Serem clocked 8:25:77 to win Kenya the first silver medal in the 3,000 steeplechase as the athletics program got underway on Monday, in the ongoing African Games at the University of Ghana Stadium.

Ethiopian Samuel Debisa won the race in 8:24.30 as another Kenyan Simon Kiprop settled with a bronze medal registering a time of 8:26.19.

Amos young brother Edmund Serem struggled in the race as he finished sixth in a time of 8:31.21.

Amos was over the moon after winning the silver medal.

“It was a very tight race which was hindered by the hot weather herein Accra. The terrain wasn’t that easy but I thank God at least I managed to clinch the first Silver medal. I tell Kenyans back at home to continue praying for us and more medals will be registered as the athletics program progresses.”

At the same time, world 800m champion Mary Moraa qualified to the 400m women semis after clocking 52.18 to win her heat.

Malawian Asimenye Simwaka come second in the heat with 53.32 timing as the third position was occupied by Seychelles’ Georgiana Sesay in 53.35.

Moraa will team up with his colleague Jackline Nanjala in the next round after she placed third in her heat in 54.11.  Zambia’s Rodah Njobvu (52.03) won the heat while Senegalese Fatou Gaye was second in 53.26.

Kennedy Kimeu and David Sanayek impressed in 400m heats as they all qualified to the semifinals, Kimeu registered a time of 46:30 seconds to defeat Hadji Malik from Senegal (46.48) and Zimbabwean Zuze Ledford (47.29).

In the second heat, Sanayek finished second in 46.18 behind Okezie Chidi of Nigeria who emerge victorious by clocking 45.89. Ndiaye Abode Aziz of Senegal settled in third position in 47.05.

In the 800m women, Vivian Chebet and Lilian Odira qualified to the finals. Chebet qualified in heat 1 where she clocked 2:02.36, behind Ethiopia’s  Tsige Duguma as Susan Aneno of Uganda finished third in 2:04.73.

Odira won her heat in 2:04.86 ahead of Ethiopian Genale Aster (2:05.05) and Morocco’s Raziki Assia (2:09.33).