Kinyamal, Loti storm 800m finals as Neema shines with PB in Glasgow
Reigning Commonwealth Games 800m champion Wycliffe Kinyamal put on a masterclass performance on the track, clocking 1:44.91 to win the first semi-final and secure his place in the final, keeping his dream of defending his title alive.
Kinyamal, who is aiming for a historic third consecutive Commonwealth gold following his triumphs in Gold Coast (2018) and Birmingham (2022), admitted that navigating through the rounds to reach the final is no easy feat.
“First of all, I haven’t taken the 2026 title yet. So let me first fight to defend it so I can answer questions about 2026. But for 2018 and 2022, I thank God very much,” Kinyamal remarked after the race.
He added: “It’s just hard to reach the final again, it’s not easy. But I thank God for enabling me to reach the final. It’s just about staying focused and planning how I will run again in the final.”
Commenting on the chilly weather conditions in Glasgow, Kinyamal emphasized the need for adaptability: “It’s very cold, but we just have to persevere. You have to adapt to any weather because sometimes you go somewhere and it rains, and you still have to run in that rain.”
Loti Secures Final Berth in Photo Finish
Joining Kinyamal in the final is National and African Champion Kelvin Kimtai Loti, who clinched victory in his semi-final race in a thrilling photo finish, crossing the line in 1:45.09.
Reflecting on his progression, Loti expressed profound gratitude for making his first Commonwealth Games final after missing out at previous major international championships:
“First, I would like to thank God that I have reached the final… Reaching the final for me, I have tried very hard since it’s my first time reaching the final,” Loti noted.
“Because I was in Tokyo last year and didn’t make the final. But today I am thankful, at least it’s an achievement reaching the final for the first time at the Commonwealth Games.”
Loti credited his growth to guidance from experienced teammates: “It’s just experience. Like last night, Emmanuel Wanyonyi talked to me on phone and told me to keep fighting. And as Team Kenya, we will follow team tactics in the finals.”
Personal Best for Multi-Talented Neema
In the women’s T47 100m race, multi-talented athlete Stancy Neema delivered a commendable performance by taking sixth place with a brand-new personal best (PB) time of 12.77 seconds. Neema, who represented Kenya two years ago at the Paris Paralympics in Taekwondo, expressed her joy over her track debut:
“It is my first time in the Commonwealth Games. I’m so happy I was in the final, and I’m so grateful because I have made a PB today that will lift my ranking from 13.01 to 12.77,” Neema said.
“I have learned a lot. I am happy for my opponents; they pushed me actually and I am just happy. Regardless of not winning the medal, I have done a PB and I’m very proud of myself.”
Neema highlighted the structured preparation that fueled her breakthrough on the track: “The journey has been long since I qualified on March 31st. Immediately, we drew a plan with my coach Denis and started training because I was aiming to be in the finals and do my best debut,” she explained. “We’ve been working on some of the challenges like the finishing power… today I finished so strong. I am going back to work on the few things… I am hopeful.”
Disappointment in Women’s 5000m Final
In the women’s 5000m final, Kenya failed to stamp their usual authority on the distance. Caroline Nyagah was the highest-placed Kenyan, crossing the line in sixth position with a time of 14:54.00, in a race dominated by an emerging distance powerhouse, Australia, who swept both gold and silver medals.