Dakar 2026: Kenya's Abigael Kosgei and Enock Tuitoek win gold as athletics begins
The 16-year-old led the steeplechase from start to finish; the 17-year-old won the 3,000m with a late kick. Kenya now have three gold medals.
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Dakar — Kenya won two gold medals on the first day of athletics at the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games on Sunday, through Abigael Kosgei in the girls' 2,000m steeplechase and Enock Tuitoek in the boys' 3,000m.
Kosgei leads from the gun
Kosgei, 16, ran at the front from the start in hot conditions at the Iba Mar Diop complex in Dakar and crossed the line in a personal best of 6:30.24. Ethiopia's Tsediken Mekonen took silver and Elif Celik of Türkiye won bronze.
"I am so happy for this win; the race was tough because of the weather since it is very hot here, but I was determined to get this medal and I dedicate it to myself and to all Kenyans," Kosgei said.
Tuitoek's late kick
Tuitoek, 17, who also won at the ANOCA Zone 5 Youth Games in Nairobi this year, held back in a crowded field and sprinted clear in the final metres to win the 3,000m in 8:07.69. Goytom Mekonen took silver and Mezziane Benhammou of France the bronze.
"The competition was tough and I had to change tactics by reducing the pace so as to manage the leading pack," he said. "If you noticed, I kicked just a few metres before the finish line."
The medal table
The two wins give Kenya three gold medals in Dakar, after the girls' rugby sevens title won last week, and lift the country to ninth on the medal table. China lead with 11 gold, four silver and two bronze, ahead of Japan (9-3-4) and Russia. Egypt are the best-placed African team in fourth, with five gold, one silver and one bronze, just ahead of France.
Athletics continues at the same venue on Monday, when Kenya have runners in the boys' 2,000m steeplechase and the girls' 3,000m.
Source: KBC, 9 November 2026.
