This archive report was first published on 19 August 2021.
On a day of mixed fortunes for Kenya at the World Athletics U20 Championships, Sylvia Chelangat's determination paid off as she stormed into the women's 400m final.
Chelangat, who is coached by Janet Jepkosgei, a former world champion, achieved a new personal best of 53.49 seconds in the women's heat 3, finishing second behind Nigerian Imaobong Uko who posted 52.33 seconds.
Chelangat's performance was a far cry from her initial disappointment after learning of the disqualification of the mixed relay team, which included herself, Kennedy Kimeu, Elkanah Kiprotich, and Loice Moraa, for a rule violation.
However, the disqualification proved to be a blessing in disguise for Chelangat, as it allowed her to focus solely on the 400m event and avoid the fatigue of competing in multiple races on the same day.
Chelangat's achievement was not an isolated incident, as her teammates Kimeu and Kiprotich also made amends by securing spots in the men's 400m final.
Speaking to reporters, Chelangat expressed her gratitude for the opportunity to compete in the final, saying, 'I was so disappointed to learn that we were disqualified. That setback gave me the much-needed push because I knew this was my last chance if I were to remain in the competition.'
Chelangat's determination was evident as she set a new personal best, saying, 'I knew that I had no chance if I had lost this race. I've never run (55) but today I've done 53.49.'
Chelangat's performance has sparked hopes that she will lower her time further in the final, saying, 'I would want to lower it further to 52 but I know that will depend a lot on the competition in the final.'
Meanwhile, Kimeu and Kiprotich also expressed their gratitude for the opportunity to compete in the final, with Kimeu saying, 'I shed tears when I learned about the disqualification (in mixed relays 4x400m) but now I can afford a smile after progressing to the final (400m).'
However, not all Kenyan athletes had a successful day, as Sylvester Simiyu failed to progress to the next round in the men's 100m event, finishing fifth in heat 6 with a new personal best of 10.66 seconds.
Published on August 19, 2021.
