2007年VOA标准英语-Kenya Enjoys Golden Night at World Athletics

Kenyan athletes have won four medals, including two golds, on the fourth day of the World Athletics¹ Championships in Osaka, Japan.  As VOA's David Byrd reports, the Kenyans won gold in both men's and women's races.

Kenya has traditionally dominated men's steeplechase, and Tuesday was no exception.  Kenyans swept the medals with Olympic silver medalist Brimin Kiprop Kipruto taking gold in eight minutes, 13.82 seconds. 

Olympic champion Ezekiel Kemboi was second, more than three seconds back (8:16.94), with Richard Kipkemboi Mateelong taking bronze (8:17.59).

Kenya's gold medal winner Janeth Jepkosgei celebrates during the Women's 800m at the World Athletics Championships, 28 Aug. 2007

"I know that this is for a championship," she said.  "There's no pacemaker and anybody can take it. If the pace is slow it is for everybody. And my pace is always high after I decided² to go for it."

In the men's discus, Estonian Gerd Kanter, the 2005 world silver medalist, won gold with a toss of 68.94 meters.  German Robert Harting took silver (66.68) with Rutger Smith of the Netherlands winning bronze (66.42).  Kanter, who has the longest throw this year (72.02) said he could have done better, but he is happy to be champion.

"I was just trying to hit a good throw," he said.  "And I did not really succeed like I was capable of, but still like two times close to 69 meters is pretty good." 

Russians swept the women's long jump, with 2004 Olympic champion Tatyana Lebedeva winning gold with a leap of seven meters, three centimeters. European champion Lyudmila Kolchanova won silver (6.92). The three-time world silver medalist Tatyana Kotova won bronze (6.90).

In the men's 400-meters hurdles³, American Kerron Clement⁴, 21, won gold in 47.61 seconds. Former champion Felix Sanchez of the Dominican Republic won silver (48.01).  Poland's Marek Plawgo won the bronze (48.12).

Clement, who finished fourth in Helsinki two years ago, said he was determined⁵ to win this year.

"You know in 2005 I left here [the world championships] without a medal," he said.  "And I just came out here and just fight to the end and that's what I really wanted, the gold medal."  

In the women's pole vault⁶, Russian Yelena Isinbayeva won the gold, but missed her attempts to break the world record of five meters, one centimeter.

Isinbayeva, the world record holder⁷, cleared four meters, 80 centimeters.  Katerina Badurova of the Czech Republic won the silver (4.75 meters) while Svetlana Feofanova of Russia took the bronze.

After four days, the United States leads the medals table with three gold medals and a total of eight. Russia is second with seven medals, including three golds.  Kenya is third also with three gold medals.