Diana Mwanzia won a hat trick as track and field championships ended on Thursday evening in the 7th edition of Kenya Universities Sports Association (KUSA) at the University of Eldoret track.
The Kenyatta University student shone in 5,000m, 3,000m and 1,500m to guider her school dominate track and field events on a track well known for producing world leading athletes, who conduct their trainings at the facility.
Mwanza first won the 5,000m title after timing 20:13.40 beating Kibabii’s Linda Muema (21:52.10) and Jepkosgei.
In her second race, she edged out her competitors to win 3,000m by clocking 12:30.27 ahead of compatriot Faith Koech in 14:15.24 and completed the hat trick in 1,500m when she clocked 5:30.22 ahead of UOE’s Sharon Kemboi (5:31.42) and KU’s Koech in 6:21.4.
As Mwanzia dominated in her races, Kibabii University’s Johnson Mushoni won two gold medals for Bungoma based university when he won 10,000m and 5,000m titles.
He first won the 10,000m timing 31:33.3 ahead of Geoffrey Karani in 33:45.3 and Kariuki Gichohi completing the podium timing 36:45.4 before he added the second title in 5,000m when he won in 15:14.9 beating compatriot Peter Kiplimo to second timing 15:15.0 as Kenyatta University’s (KU) Emmanuel Ng’eno completed the podium in 15:27.47.
Mount Kenya University’s (MKU) Johnson Kaberia also won a double in 3,000m and 1,500m. in 3,000m, Kaberia clocked 9:15.13 ahead of Vincent Kurgat from Kisii in 9:23.17 and Ng’eno in third timing 9:34.6 before ending the championships with a win in 1,500m after clocking 4:01.32 beating compatriot Elijah Kipkorir (4:04.84) and Kiplimo’s 4:04.94.
Lydia Muremi won the women’s 10,000m in 44:28.2. the Kibabii University student stunned compatriot Faith Ogallo (46:30.5) and Rongo’s Joyce Jepkosgei (48:24.7).
Another Kibabii runner Kiplimo won two medals as well as Ng’eno. Kiplimo won silver in 5,000 and bronze in 1,500m while Ngeno won double bronze in both 3,000m and 5,000m.