‘How I almost missed out on gold at Dakar Olympics,’ Kenyan youngster reveals

NAIROBI, Kenya, November 9, 2026 – Newly crowned Youth Olympics 3000m steeplechase champion Enock Tuitoek admits he almost missed out on the gold medal due to the unsportsmanlike tactics of his competitors in Dakar on Sunday evening. The 17-year-old said he was forced to switch up on his tactics as his rivals threatened to box him out of contention. “The plan was that with five laps, I would break away from the leading pack and take control of the race. However, it was not so easy because every time I tried to do so, I was always boxed in, so I had to increase the pace,” Tuitoek said. Kenya...

The 17-year-old said he was forced to switch up on his tactics as his rivals threatened to box him out of contention.

“The plan was that with five laps, I would break away from the leading pack and take control of the race. However, it was not so easy because every time I tried to do so, I was always boxed in, so I had to increase the pace,” Tuitoek said.

The youngster clocked 8:07.69 to clinch Kenya’s third gold at the championships, finishing first ahead of Ethiopian Goyton Mekonen (8:08.24) and Frenchman Benhammou Meziane (8:11.59) who came second and third respectively.

It was also Tuitoek’s second career medal, having also bagged gold at the ANOCA Zone V Youth Games in August this year.

That win, Tuitoek confessed, had whetted his appetite for more medals, specifically, the Youth Olympics.

Source: Capital FM Sports