Kenyan Mercy Eragae wins historic African Championships bronze — Nation Kenya

In Kisumu, Kenya, cyclist Mercy Eragae won a bronze medal in the junior women's 68.8 km road race at the African Road Cycling Championships. She became the first Kenyan to win a medal in the 19-year history of these continental competitions, Nation Kenya reports. Eragae finished third despite crashing near the end of the race.

Team preparation

Kenya Cycling Federation Vice President Kelvin Mwangi said Eragae's medal had given the team confidence ahead of other events at the championships. According to him, the national team has strengthened the training of young riders by giving them more opportunities to compete and analyzing mistakes from previous performances.

Kenya will be represented in the elite women's 122.2 km road race by Kendra Tabu, Monica Kiplangat, Nancy Akinyi and Dinna Kamonya. Tabu noted that training in high-altitude Kaptagat could be an advantage in Kisumu, which is located at a lower altitude, although the athletes will have to compete in hot conditions.

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Individual time trial results

Kamonya finished sixth in the 20.4 km individual time trial, completing the distance in 33 minutes and 33 seconds. Tabu was six seconds behind her. Rwanda's Diane Ingabire won in 31 minutes and 2 seconds, while Aurélie Halbwachs of Mauritius was second and Lucy Young of South Africa was third.

Tabu also said that during the individual race, the Kenyan athletes did not have special time-trial bicycles and competed on standard road models. In the men's race, Kenya will be represented, among others, by Ivan Kipruto in the under-23 category, and by Patrick Mugu, Geoffrey Waire, Evan Kimani and Peterson Wairimu among the elite riders.