The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) has relegated Kenya to the second overall position after United States in the just concluded 15th World Athletics Championship held in Beijing, China.
Although Kenya has retained its top position in the medal table where it bagged seven gold, six silver and three bronze medals, it is now at number two on what the IAAF call ‘placing table’. IAAF gave US 214 points, Kenya 173 points and Jamaica 132 points in the placing table.
But in the medal table, Jamaica finished second with seven gold, two silver and three bronze while United States of America came third with six gold, six silver and 6six bronze. IAAF placing table works on a formulae that looks at factors beyond top positions and considers the number of athletes who finished in the other slots like number 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and such.
In general, therefore, since the US had more athletes in disciplines that Kenya did not participate or even qualify, it gained more points in the championship as a result.
It also means that the US had more athletes participating in nearly all events even if they did not win those events than any other country.
Other countries in the top ten placing table are Germany, Great Britain and North Ireland, China, Ethiopia, Poland, Canada and Russia. Kenya and Ethiopia are the only African countries in the table.
On Sunday August 30, Asbel Kiprop capped Kenya’s seventh gold medal sending the country to the top position in the medal chart. Since the modern day world athletics championship first held in 1983 Kenya has so far collected 145 gold, 94 silver and 78 bronze medals. (source: Tuko.co.ke)
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