The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

EVERYBODY knows that their forte has been distance running, but Tanzania is also spreading their sporting prowess to swimming.

The African nation was in Nassau last week, where their youthful two-member swimming team tried their skills in the Betty Kelly Swim Complex at the sixth Commonwealth Youth Games.

Celina Itatiro, 14, participated in six events, improving on her personal best in one, while Collins Saliboko, 15, got his PB in two of his six events.

“Thanks for the opportunity to be here in The Bahamas and I’m looking forward to competing in the next games,” Saliboko said.

“It’s good to get all of the experience I can to help prepare me for the next one.”

Saliboko said the performances he produced were not what he anticipated, but he felt the competition here was extremely hard, competing against rivals who were two or three years older than him.

“I met a lot of new friends and got a good experience,” said Saliboko as he summed up his trip.

“I really enjoyed The Bahamas. The beach was very nice, the hotel was fantastic. I have to come back for a vacation.”

Over at the Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium, another African country was in their element as Kenya celebrated gold medal performances from Emmaculate Chepkirui and Edwin Kipangat Bett, who dominated the women’s and men’s distance races respectively.

Chepkitui won the women’s 3,000 metres in nine minutes and 25.20 seconds, ahead of New Zealand’s Katrina Robinson, the silver medalist in 9:27.40. Canada’s Brogan MacDougall was the bronze medalist in 9:29.34.

“This was very good and I tried my best to win the two events,” Chepkitui said. “I am very proud of myself. I came here in the heat and I won.”

Chepkitui, however, was a disappointing 11th in the 1,500m in 4:28.83. Scotland’s Erin Heather Wallace took the top spot on the podium in 4:16.61, with Kenya’s Viola Chemutai getting the silver in 4:16.73, and Robinson picking up the bronze in 4:17.19.

On the men’s side, Bett took the men’s 3,000m in 8:23.96 with Canada’s Joshua Desouza taking the silver in 8:35.15. Tanzania’s Francis Damasi settled for the bronze in 8:37.51.

“It was great,” said Bett of his performance.

It was very hot, but it was good to compete here. I’m glad I won. It was very hard in the heat.”

Bett also finished fifth in the 1,500m in 3:52.68, as his teammate John Mwangi Waweru took the tape in 3:48.86.

He held off England’s 1-2 punch of Joshua Lay (3:49.35) and Luke Gerard Duffy (3:49.70) for the silver and bronze.