The host nation ended the final day with 25 medals - 10 gold,
seven silver and eight bronze. South Africa got 19 medals and Nigeria took 18.
Kenya's medals included a sweep of the men's 5,000 meters as
Edwin Soy won gold in 13 minutes, 30.46 seconds, ahead of second-place Vincent
Yator. Mark Kiptoo took the bronze.
The three Kenyans broke away from the Ethiopian duo of Imane
Merga and Tariku Bekele with three laps to go, establishing a gap of 100 meters
which they kept to the finish line.
The medalists took advantage of the absence of injured world
and Olympic champion Kenenisa Bekele of Ethiopia, Tariku's elder brother. Merga
finished fourth and Tariku fifth.
The Kenyans linked arms after the race for a victory lap in
front of 30,000 fans.
Kenya's Olympic champion Asbel Kiprop led from start to finish
to win the men's 1,500 in 3:36.19, ahead of Morocco's Amine Laalou. Ethiopia's
Woldegigris Gebremedhin was third.
In the women's 3,000 meter steeplechase, Kenya's Milcah Chemos
set a new championship record of 9:32.18 after a tough challenge from Sofia
Abebe of Ethiopia. The previous record of 9:44.58 was set by Ethiopia's Zemzem
Ahmed at the 2008 African Championships.
Chemos led for most of the race but was overtaken right at the
end. Chemos increased her pace and took the lead back from Abebe who finished
in 9:32.58, followed by Kenya's Lydiah Rotich.
Kenya's Grace Wanjiru broke the African record when she won
the women's 20 kilometer walk in 1 hour, 34 minutes, 19 seconds. The previous
record set by South Africa's Susan Vermeulen of 1:36:18 was set in 1999.
Tunisia's Chaima Trabelsi was second, ahead of Ethiopia's Aynalem Eshetu.
Algeria's Zahra Bouras came from behind to win the women's 800
meters. Bouras outpaced favorite Janeth Chepkosgei, who led the race from the
start, at the finish line to take the gold from the Kenyan in 2:00.22.
Tunisia's Hassanine Sebei won gold in the men's 20 kilometer
walk in 1:20:36. Kenya's David Rotich came in second at 1.21.07 and Hichem
Medjeber of Algeria third in 1:22.53.
More than 700 athletes from 53 African countries took part in
the event.
