As thousands of spectators lined the streets of Glasgow in Scotland to watch the morning marathons yesterday and a further 44,000 packed into the Hampden Park stadium that provides the focal point of the Commonwealth games, Kenya scooped gold and silver medals in the distance running events.

WOMEN’S MARATHON VICTORY

The women’s marathon was won by Flomena Cheyech Daniel in a time of 2:26:45, the Kenyan adding Commonwealth gold to the Paris Marathon title she won earlier this year.

In the lead group throughout the race, by 30km Daniel was clear of the rest of the field with her team-mate Caroline Kilel. In the closing stages, Daniel eased clear to take the gold medal leaving Kilel to pick up the silver medal.

GOLD HAIR, GOLD MEDAL FOR NDIKU

The flamboyant Kenyan Caleb Ndiku, who dyed his hair gold for the occasion, won the 5,000 metres, his second major title of the year, adding to the world indoor 3000m title he won in March.

Pacing his run to perfection, Ndiku gradually moved through the pack as the laps went by. In the last lap the race was between Ndiku and fellow Kenyans Isaiah Koech and Joseph Kitur, and New Zealand’s Zane Robertson.

With 250 meters to go Ndiku surged clear as Koech was forced to settle for silver and Robertson got the bronze. Ndiku’s winning time was 13:12:07.

SILVER IN THE MEN’S MARATHON

Earlier in the day Kenya’s Stephen Chemlany won a silver medal in the men’s marathon 43 seconds behind Australia’s Michael Shelley. The bronze medal went to Uganda’s Abraham Kiplimo after he out-sprinted his fellow countryman Munyo Mutai.