Africa at the IAAF London World Championships 2017

The 2017 IAAF World Championships in London was something of a memorable event. It was not only the biggest but also one of the most spectacular events in IAAF history. Records were made, others were broken, while the world’s fastest man, Usain Bolt, and Great Britain’s Mo Farah, retired.

10,000m Final

Day one saw Ugandan Joshua Kiprui Cheptegei bag a silver medal after chasing down the world and Olympic Champion Mo Farah, to finish in 26:49.94 in the 10,000m final.

Kenyans, Paul Tanui, and Bedan Muchiri finished third and fourth respectively followed by Ethiopia’s Jemal Yimer in 6^th place.

Almaz Ayana set a world record of 30:16.32 in the 10,000m final to take gold for Ethiopia while compatriot and teammate Tirunesh Dibaba, finished second in 31:02.69, and Kenya’s Agnes Tirop won bronze in 31:03.50. Alice Nawowuna and Irene Cheptai also of Kenya, came in 4^th and 7^th positions, respectively. Uganda’s Mercyline Chelangat finished in 13^th while Dera Dida of Ethiopia finished in 14^th.

100m Final 

South Africa’s Akani Simbine could not catch up with the pace of Justin Gatlin, Christian Coleman, Bolt, and Yohan Blake, settling in fifth place with a time of 10.0.

Long Jump Final

Luvo Manyonga of South Africa jumped a distance of 8.48 to scoop gold in the long jump final while teammate Ruswahl Sammai, jumped 8.32 to win bronze.

Marathon

Kenya’s Geoffrey Kirui bagged Gold in the marathon after finishing in 2:08:27 ahead of Ethiopia’s Tamirat Tola (2:09:49) and Alphonse Simbu of Tanzania (2:09:51), who won silver and bronze medals, respectively.

Kenyans, Gideon Kipketer, and Daniel Wanjiru finished in 5^th and 8^th position respectively while Uganda’s Munyo Solomon Mutai came in 11^th position.

Edna Kiplagat of Kenya finished won silver behind Rose Chelimo in 2:27:18. Her Kenyan teammate Flomena Daniel missed the podium by three seconds and came in fourth behind American Amy Cragg while Helah Kiprop came in 7^th.

Ethiopians Shure Demise, Mare Dibaba, Berhane Dibaba and Aselefech Mergia finished in 5^th, 8^th, 10^th and 12^th respectively.

1500m Final

Faith Kipyegon crossed the finish line in 4:02.59 to take home gold for Kenya in the 1500m final ahead of Caster Semenya who finished in bronze position with a time of 4:02.90. Ethiopia’s Genzebe Dibaba finished out of top 10 in 12^th position.

Elijah Manangoi of Kenya finished in 3:33.61 to take home gold in the 1500m final while teammate, Timothy Cheruiyot won silver with a time of 3:33.99

400m Final

South Africa’s Wayde Van Niekerk defended his title after racing down the finish line in 43.98 in a highly contested final which also saw Baboloki Thebe of Botswana, finishing in 4^th. Botswana’s other hopeful Isaac Makwala, unfortunately, did not start. Zambia’s Kabange Mupopo finished in 7^th position in 51.15

200m Final

Niekerk, however, finished in second position in 20.11 to take home silver of his second race while Isaac Makwala of Botswana came in 6^th at 20.44.

Marie-Josee Ta Lou of Ivory Coast qualified for the podium again after winning silver and setting a new national record of 22.08 in addition to winning silver in the 100m final.

800m Final

Caster Semenya bagged the gold medal in 1:55.16 ahead of Burundian Francine Niyonsaba who made the podium with a silver medal win for a time run in 1:55.92. Kenya’s Margaret Wambui finished in 4^th position.

Kenya’s Kipyegon Bett made it to the podium for a bronze medal behind Frenchman Bosse and Adam from Poland, after finishing in 1:45.21. Nijel Amos of Botswana came in 5^th while Ethiopia’s Mohammed Aman finished in 6^th position.

3000m Steeplechase

Conseslus Kipruto added a gold to Kenya’s winning streak in the 3000m steeplechase final in 8:14.12 ahead of Moroccan, Soufiane Elbakkali, and Evan Jager. His Kenyan teammates Ezekiel Kemboi and Jairus Kipchoge Birech finished in 11^th and 12^th position respectively.

Ethiopians Tesfaye Deriba, Tafese Seboka, and Getnet Wale came in 7^th, 8^th, and 9^th position respectively. Ugandans, Albert Chemutai, and Jacob Araptany finished in 10^th and 14^th position respectively.

Hyvin Jepkemoi finished third to take home a bronze medal in 9:04.03 while teammates Beatrice Chepkoech, Celliphine Chespol, and Purity Kirui finished in fourth, sixth and tenth respectively. Ethiopia’s Etenesh Diro finished in 7^th

5000m Final

Hellen Onsando Obiri of Kenya won gold in the 5000m final ahead of Ethiopian, Almaz Ayana in 14:34.86.

“I was telling myself to go. I could see Ayana was not going so I thought, ‘why not?’ So I said, ‘go’. I am mentally strong so I knew I was capable.

[perfectpullquote align=”full” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]“When I crossed the line I was extremely happy, and just wanted to celebrate. All my emotions came out. I wanted the 5000m gold a lot,”[/perfectpullquote]

she said.

Ethiopia’s Muktar Edris dethroned Mo Farah when he won gold in 13:32.79.

“I was highly prepared for this race and I knew I was going to beat Mo Farah. After the 10km he was maybe tired so he did not have enough for the last kick. I was stronger.

[perfectpullquote align=”full” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]“Mo has many victories but now I have one. I am the new champion for Ethiopia. That’s why I did the Mobot. I am the next champion,”[/perfectpullquote]

Edris said.

His teammates Yomif Kejelcha and Selemon Bareg came in 4^th and 5^th position respectively.

4X 400m Relay

Nigeria finished in 5^th position while Botswana came in 7^th position in the 4 x400M relay final.

20 km Race walk

South Africa’s Lebogang Shange missed the podium finish by 14 seconds in the 20km race walk final in London.

All photos: Getty Images

Featured Photo: Britain’s Mo Farah (C) poses with Uganda’s Joshua Kiprui Cheptegei (L) and Kenya’s Paul Tanui (R) after the trio won gold, silver, and bronze, respectively. (Getty Images)