Kenya’s Caroline Nyaga is still in disblief after becoming the champion of Africa at the Senior Athletics Championships in the women’s 10,000m. 

This is after she powered to victory on the penultimate day of the senior championships in Reduit, Mauritius. 

With Athletics Kenya (AK) and the National Olympic Committee of Kenya (NOC-K) having agreed to host joint trials for the Commonwealth Games and World Athletics Championships respectively, Nyaga fancies her chances. 

“I will bring to the track confidence after winning in Mauritius. 

“I know it will be a different game plan all the same but I will trust my guts and go for it just like I did in Mauritius,” Nyaga said 

The combined trials are planned for June 24 to 25 at Kasarani where one team will be picked for both events. 

It was a double celebration for Nyaga who on Thursday claimed bronze in 5,000m. 

On Saturday she clocked 32:12.62 to succeed fellow Kenyan Stacy Ndiwa who led Alice Aprot to a Kenya 1-2 finish at the 21st African Athletics Championships in Asaba, Nigeria in 2018. 

Medal tally

Rachel Chebet from Uganda timed 32:17.66 to settle for silver as Ethiopia Meseret Gebre Dekebo took bronze in 32:25.97. Nyaga’s feat took Kenya’s medal tally to 12 going into the final day on Sunday. They have five gold, two silver and five bronze medals. 

On Friday, newly crowned Africa 100m champion Ferdinand Omanyala anchored Kenya to a historic 4x100m relay victory title. The Kenyan team comprised Omanyala, former national record holder Mike Mokamba, Samuel Imeta, and Dan Kiviasi. 

Omanyala had on Thursday clinched the 100m title in a tight photo finish against South African Akani Simbine for his first-ever Major title. 

It was the first time Kenya was winning gold in 4×100 at the continental event. The Kenya quartet smashed their long-standing national record to win in 39.28, finishing more than half a second ahead of South Africa (39.79). 

Meanwhile, Omanyala’s quest for a treble ended after he failed to advance in the men’s 200m competition. 

The African record holder qualified for the 200m semi-final, finishing third in Heat 7 in 21.01 seconds on Saturday. 

“The body didn’t respond well as I had anticipated so I couldn’t just fire. I suspect it was due to fatigue,” said Omanyala. 

“I will leave Mauritius with my head held high because of what I have achieved in the last few days. I will focus on some good recovery as I wait for the national trials,” he said.