World 1,500m champion Timothy Cheruiyot commenced his journey towards the title defence after excelling during the second Athletics Kenya Weekend Track and Field Meeting that ended at the Moi Stadium in Kisumu on Saturday.

The Olympic silver medalist who missed the opening meeting three weeks ago in Nairobi raced to victory in the men’s 800m race.

He won the race in 1:46.8 ahead of MacDonald Kipruto and Norbery Kolombos finished second and third in 1:47.2 and 1.47.1 respectively.

“This officially marks my first competitive race on the track,” said the world champion.

Top level

“Of course I have been putting some work in training so getting to test  it is a good measure of what I need to do to get to the top level,” added Cheruiyot who is also eyeing a strong start to the Diamond League season in May.

Elsewhere, world Under-20 race walk champion Dominic Ndigiti won the men’s 10,000m race.

Ndigiti who is also the Africa Under-20 champion led from start to finish, to win in 46:13.

The women’s race was won by Sylvia Kemboi who clocked 48:47.2. Naomi Jepkurui of Kenya Defence Forces’ (KDF) was second in 50:09.7 as her compatriot Assumpta Ikate coming third in 51:37.4

In the battle for speed, Millicent Ndoro won the women’s 100m race after closing clocking 11.9 secs.

KDF’s Mathew managed a double in the men’s 100m and 200m.

In 100m, Mathew clocked 11.9 seconds, beating Kenya Prisons’ Hesbon Ochieng and Charles Nyamweya (individual), who came a distant second and third, respectively.

Linda Kagecha won the women’s 400m race in 53.2 as Wycliffe Kinyamal took the men’s 400m title in 45.9.