May 24 - World Paralympic 1,500 metres champion Abraham Tarbei on Monday (May 24) maintained his winning streak with a qualifying time for the Africa Athletics Championship to be held in Morocco next month.

Deaf athletes take off in the men's 100 metres race at the Paralympic national trials at the Mombasa Municipal Stadium on Monday (May 24). The two-day championships, to select a Kenya team for the African Paralympics Championships, ends Tuesday (May 25). (Photo by Gideon Maundu)

Tarbei, from Rift Valley, clocked 13 minutes 58.26 seconds to win the T.46 event during the first day of the Paralympic Athletics National Trials at Mombasa Municipal Stadium.

The 24-year-old, who has won two World Championships - the Netherlands (2006) and China (2008) - and the All Africa Games in Algeria (2007), led from gun to tape.

Although it was a bit hot, Tarbei said, he knew he would win the event because he prepared well for the trials and was ready to give the country gold medals in both the 1,500m and 5,000m events.

"In the continental championship I am expecting to get stiff opposition from Algeria's Nauar Samir but I am ready to beat him the way I did during the Iwas Games in India last November," he said.

Four other top finishers, also from Rift Valley, managed qualifying times for the event, set at 15:00'.00" to 16:00'.00' minutes.

Inside qualifying time

Billy Biwott returned 14:05'.66" to claim second position while Kiptanui Chebuchuk, Hillary Serem and Stanley Cheruiyot followed in 14:07'.11", 14:09'.72" and 14:09'.83".

Eliud Kipyego led four other Rift Valley athletes to win the blind event of 1,500m inside the qualifying time of 3:57'.0"-4:17'.0". He clocked 3:56'.54" as David Kipchirchir (3:57'.45") came second and Joseph Kitut (3:58'.10"), Dabvid Bor (4:01'.04") and Anthony Bore (4:07'.52") followed in that order.

Nairobi's Ancent Kioli won the men's 100m deaf event in 11.2 seconds, ahead of Simon Ademu (11.40) of Nyanza, Nairobi's Boniface Kikoli (11.50) and Nyanza’s Duncan Okwama (11.74) and David Ogogo (12.0).

All the five sprinters fell within the qualifying time of 11.70-12.00.

The athletes were fighting for places in the national team to participate in the June 12 to 18 Africa Athletics Championship in Casablanca.

They were also vying for places in the Great Lakes Open Athletics Championship, due at the Nyayo National Stadium from August 21 to 27.

(Abdulrahman Sheriff)

(The End)