Kenyan stars post mixed results in Kingston Grand Slam Track

Ethiopia's Ejgayehu Taye (right) crosses the finish line in first place ahead of Kenya's Agnes Jebet Ngetich in the women's 3000 metres race during the Grand Slam Track competition at the National Stadium in Kingston, Jamaica on Friday. [AFP]

By today, the debate on who will reign supreme between Olympic gold medallist Emmanuel Wanyonyi and world champion Marco Arop of Canada, in the men's 1500m at the ongoing Grand Slam Track meet in Kingston, Jamaica, will have been settled.

Kenyan track stars posted mixed results in day one of the Kingston Grand Slam leg of the series.

Competing in the women's 3000m, 10km world record holder Agnes Jebet Ngetich saved the Kenyan cast in Kingston blushes at the inaugural track league.

Ngetich finished behind Ethiopian Ejgayehu Taye, the 2022 world indoor 3000m bronze medallist who won the contest in 8:28.42 while the Kenyan star clocked 8:28.75 as a two-time Olympian at 10,000m Tsige Gebreselama, also from Ethiopia sealed the podium in 8:38.15.

Hellen Ekalale Lobun, who was in the women's 3000m, timed 8:42.51 to place fourth.

Ngetich and Ekalale will be up against the same challengers in the 5000m race at the final day tonight.

But the Kenyan field in the women's 800m and the men's 5000m got off to the wrong foot in the first day of the highly competitive track league where each participating athlete take part in two events.

World champion Mary Moraa was tipped to take a podium place in Kingston but finished eighth.

For the Olympic bronze medallist, her season opener at the Kingston Slam was aimed at performing impressively and dedicating it to a supportive family and fans.

Since the series offers track athletes the opportunity to compete in two events, Moraa and other participants who did not impress in their opening races, a chance to redeem their performances.

"Not the results I wanted in my first race (800m) at the Grand Slam Track but I live to fight another day. On to 1500m," Moraa said after the disappointment.

The women's 800m race was won by American record holder Nikki Hiltz (1:58.23) followed by world silver medallist Diribe Welteji of Ethiopia in second place (1:58:29) while Australian Jessica Hull (an Olympic silver medallist) came in third in 1:58.58.

Kenya's Susan Ejore finished fifth in 1:59.26 behind fourth-placed Sage Hurta of USA (1:59.26).

Olympic silver medallist Ronald Kwemoi's attempt to fire a warning shot in the men's 5000m backfired as hopes for a podium spot in the event crumbled.

Kwemoi, the solo Kenyan in the 5000m and 3000m, stopped the timer in 14:40.46.

Anchored by sensations Grant Fisher, Cooper Teare and Dylan Jacob, American stars swept the 5000m podium clean.

Grant Fisher, who is fresh from smashing the indoor 5000m and 3000m in February proved a point in Kingston; that he is the man to watch this season.

The 27-year-old Fisher won the hotly contested 5000m title in 14:39.14 as Teare earned his second place in a time of 14:39.31. Jacob finished third in 14:39.56.

Kwemoi will be taking on the American stars again in the 3000m face-off tonight.