A few days ago, Moses Kipsiro said he had a plan for the Kenyans at the Commonwealth Games. After a string of silvers, the Ugandan had said he badly wanted the gold here.
On Wednesday night, the 24-year-old, who was fourth at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and at the recent African Championship, came up with a smart strategy to claim the first Games' athletics gold, the 5000m, at the Nehru Stadium.
“With 800m to go, you need to be ready, you have to be prepared with 500m to go,” said Kipsiro, letting us in on what ran in his mind, soon after the race. “I knew Eliud (Kipchoge, the favourite from Kenya) would come and try to pass me with 300 to go. I waited and then made my final kick.”
The last few metres had been very tough. “A lot of things ran in my head during those moments. But I was sure I would win.”
Kipsiro had planned to do the double here by running the 10,000m but he said he would decide on the longer run later.
Should have been patient
Meanwhile Kipchoge, the silver medalist in Beijing and the world leader this year, said he should have been more patient at the finish.
“Everything went as per plan but I think I tried to go early towards the end,” said the 26-year-old Kenyan soon after his maiden Commonwealth Games race.
“But I am not disappointed, we are professional athletes, these things happen.”
