Ugandan athlete Jacob Araptany has finally drawn closer to delivering the holy grail for the Pearl after he finished second in heat 3 of the men’s 3000m steeplechase race to qualify for the finals on Monday.
Araptany clocked 8:21.53 just behind winner Kenya’s Conseslus Kipruto who posted 8:21.40, a difference of just 13 micro seconds.
The Ugandan was second overall, beating United States’ Donald Cabral and Tunisia’s Ben Amor Yahia who posted 8:21.96 and 8:23.12 respectively.
Araptany hit the front with 150 metres to go but Kipruto had the edge as he crossed just a few centimeters before. Uganda’s Benjamin Kiplagat also in the same race did not reach the heights of Jacob.
He however, managed 14th in the first heat, in 8:20.35, 19th overall missing qualification for the finals. He finished ahead of Ethiopia’s Chala Beyo who posted 8:20.35.
Medal prospect Jacob came off seventh in the 3000 m steeplechase event at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, an occasion that saw him miss qualification to the finals.
He currently holds the mantle to deliver home a medal just before Stephen Kiprotich, Solomon Mutai and Jackson Kiprop hit the track for the men’s marathon on Sunday at 3:30pm Uganda time.
