Osaka '07: Africa shortens the distance: Kenya's Janeth Jepkosgei 800 meter gold

Already highly touted for the incredible achievements in international distance running, Africans from Africa are now gaining more in the intermediate and shorter distances. This is incredible and exciting to see: Africa's success at any level on the international scene can but provide a worldview to its own inner dynamics of the moment; even, perhaps, a light. (Kenya was second to the United States in overall medals won in Osaka and ahead of third place Russia.)

Janeth Jepkosgei of Kenya celebrates winning the Women's 800m Final on August 28, 2007

800 meter podium: (from left) Morocco's Hasna Benhassi, silver, Kenya's Janeth Jepkosgei, gold, Spain's Mayte Martínez, bronze (there were no Americans in the finals)

Hasna Benhassi of Morocco, 800m silver

Janeth Jepkosgei repeated in Stuttgart September 23, 2007

Photo sources: (in order) (share site: encoding, Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images); gulf-times.com; bladi.net; Yahoo! News/(oops)