Kenya’s quest for an Olympic Games gold medal in the 10,000m will wwait for long after Kenyan athletes failed to break the jinx of 1968’s Naftali Temo’s gold in the Mexico City.
Today, the Kenyan trio of Daniel Mateiko, Bernard Kibet and Nicholas Kipkorir Kimeli faded away as world record 10,000m holder Joshua Cheptegei from Uganda won the title at the ongoing Olympic Games in Paris, France.
Cheptegei won the title in 26:43.14 to break a 16-year Olympic Games record held by Kenenisa Bekele of Ethiopia at 27:01.17 as Ethiopian Berihu Aregawi settled for silver in 26:43.44 with American Grant Fisher winning bronze at 26:43.46.
Kibet was the top Kenyan in the race finishing 5th at 26:43.98 as Mateiko was 11th in 26:50.83 and Kimeli 14th at 27:23.97.