Reigning Olympic Champion Tirunesh Dibaba silenced the home crowd at the Nyayo Stadium today to give Ethiopia her first Gold medal of the 17th African Athletics Championships in Nairobi, Kenya.
Dibaba took the Women's 10,000 metres Final in a commanding fashion, having trailed the reigning World Champion and home favourite Linet Masai throughout the race, in a time of 31 minute and 51.39 seconds.
Her compatriot Meselech Melkamu Haileyesus followed her for silver in 31:55.50 while Linet Masai of Kenya settled for bronze in a season's best time of 31:59.36.
Nigeria's Tosin Oke soared to a personal best leap of 17.22 metres to take the men's Triple Jump Gold medal ahead of Hugo Lucien Schl. Mamba of Cameroon (16.78m) and Tumelo Thagane of South Africa (16.64m).
Algeria's Othman Hadj Lazib upsets Nigeria's Selim Nurudeen with a late dive to win the men's 110m hurdles in 13.77 seconds. Nurudeen settled for silver in 13.83 seconds and Ruan de Vries of South Africa took bronze in 13.98 seconds.
Tunisian Hamdi Dhouibi won the men's Pole Vault with a clearance of 4.70 metres ahead of Algerians Larbi Bouraada, second with 4.60 metres and Mourad Souissi, third with 4.40 metres.
Ghana's Margaret Simpson won the women's Heptathlon with a total score of 6,031 points with South Africa's Janet Wienand second with a total of 5,500 points and Ts'oalei Selloane of Lesotho third with a total of 5,302 points.
Selected Results
Men's Pole Vault Final
1. Hamdi DHOUIBI TUN 4.70
2. Larbi BOURAADA ALG 4.60
3. Mourad SOUISSI ALG 4.40
Men's 110m Hurdles Final
1. Othman HADJ LAZIB ALG 13.77
2. Selim NURUDEEN NGR 13.83
3. Ruan DE VRIES RSA 13.98
Women's Heptathlon Final
1. Margaret SIMPSON GHA 6031
2. Janet WIENAND RSA 5500
3. Ts'oalei SELLOANE LES 5302
Men's Triple Jump Final
1. Oke TOSIN NGR 17.22 (PB)
2. Hugo Lucien Schl. MAMBA CMR 16.78
3. Tumelo THAGANE RSA 16.64
Men's Hammer Throw Final
1. Mohs.ABDEL MOHSEN ANANI EGY 74.72
2. Chris HARMSE RSA 72.56
3. Mostafa HESHAM EL GAMEL EGY 71.40
Women's 10,000m Final
1. Tirunesh DIBABA KENENI ETH 31:51.39
2. Meselech MELKAMU HAILEYESUS ETH 31:55.50
3. Linet MASAI KEN 31:59.36
Women's Javelin Throw Final
1. Sunette VILJOEN RSA 63.33
2. Justine ROBBESON RSA 60.24
3. Hanaa Ramada OMAR HASSAN EGY 55.14
See Complete Results below: