The 2017 World Cross Champion, Lilian Kasait Rengeruk took her first victory of the season in the Women 5000m race at the 47th edition of the Memorial Van Damme Meeting held on Friday night in Brussels, Belgium.
Rengeruk who faced a stellar team that included her compatriots the 2019 African U20 silver medallist, Edinah Jebitok, World U20 1500m bronze medallist Winnie Jemutai, and 2021 World U20 800m champion Ayal Dagnachew.
The 26 year-old who has been out for almost a year took the top honors in a season best of 14:26.46 beating the race favorite World U20 record holder Medina Eisa from Ethiopia who had the fastest time on paper of 14:16.54. The 18 year-old was forced to settle in second place in a time of 14:28.94 with the Japanese National Record holder in 1500m Nozomi Tanaka closing the podium three finishes with a new National record time of 14:29.18 which is also her personal best.
Kenya’s Jemutai and Dagnachew who was making her debut over the distance finished in fourth and fifth in respective time of 14:39.05 (PB) and 14:39.11 (SB).
Jebitok finished a distant ninth with a personal best of 14:52.28.
Nyaga did the pacing and dropped at the 2000m mark in 5:43 with Grace Nawowuna failing to start.
Facebook Comments