| Dates: 8-12 June Venue: Cote d’Or Stadium, Mauritius Session times (BST, approx): 04:30-09:30 & 11:00-14:00 |
Ethiopian newcomer Mogos Tuemay won the men’s 10,000m title on the first day of the African Athletics Championships in Mauritius.
In the absence of big stars from the final, the 25-year-old won in a time of 29 minutes 19 seconds at Cote d’Or Stadium.
Chimdessa Debele finished second to complete an Ethiopian one-two, with Kenya’s Abraham Longosiwa taking bronze.
The other two finals to be staged on the opening day of competition saw dual successes for South Africa.
Ischke Senekal won the women’s shot put with a personal best of 16.40m, while compatriot Allan Cumming took gold in the men’s hammer with a throw of 69.13m.
Carine Mekam of Gabon and South African Zonica Lindeque completed the podium in the women’s shot put, with South Africa’s Tshepang Makhethe and Egyptian Alaaeldin El Ashry picking up silver and bronze respectively in the men’s hammer.
Omanyala through in men’s 100m
Elsewhere, the big names progressed through the first round and semi-finals of the men’s and women’s 100m.
Reigning champion Akani Simbine of South Africa and Ferdinand Omanyala, Africa’s fastest man, both won their semi-finals.
Kenyan sprinter Omanyala has a world-leading time of 9.85 seconds this year and the 26-year-old was fastest across the three semi-finals with a time of 10.07secs.
Meanwhile, Gina Bass established a new personal best in her semi-final, running in 11.08.
Despite the absence of the reigning champion Marie-Josee Ta Lou, the Gambian will face tough competition.
Aminatou Seyni from Niger, who recently beat former Olympic champion Allyson Felix over 200m, clocked 11.05 while South African Carina Horn also recorded a personal best of 11.08.
The two finals follow one another on Thursday, starting with the women’s at approximately 12:00 BST.
Eight other finals will be contested on day two, including Caster Semenya running in the women’s 5,000m final.
Championships record could fall – Simbine
Simbine is confident heading into what is set to be a showdown with Omanyala for the 100m crown.
“It is going to be the difference between who is the better championship runner,” Simbine, 28, told BBC Sport Africa.
“I have done a lot of championships so I have experience backing me.
“Ferdinand is young and he’s hungry but that doesn’t take away the hunger that I have to remain on top.”
Omanyala holds the African 100m record with a time of 9.77 and both he and Simbine believe the Championships record of 9.94, set in 1998 by Nigeria’s Seun Ogunkoya, could fall on Thursday.
“The Championship record was set when I was two years old so I am looking forward to break it here – with the perfect conditions,” Omanyala said.
“I am hoping it’s not going to rain and that we get a perfect race. I always like to give people a show and such things give me motivation.”
Simbine added: “We are going to push it to the line.
“We are just hoping that conditions are good and favourable to us. Hopefully we break that record.”
