TEAMS LINED UP; ATHLETICS OPENED; LONG JUMP; WOMEN'S 100 METRES; MEN'S 100 METRES; MEN'S 1,500 METRES; KEINO WINNING; VARIOUS EVENTS.




Initials PK/VS/BOB/ES


SPORT: ATHLETICS

Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: EAST AFRICAN ATHLETES SET SEVEN RECORDS IN THE FIRST DAY OF THE TWO-DAY EAST AFRICAN ATHLETICS CHAMPIONSHIPS AT THE REPUBLIC STADIUM, IN KAMPALA, UGANDA, YESTERDAY (SATURDAY). FOR THE FIRST TIME, FOUR COUNTRIES COMPETED IN THE CHAMPIONSHIPS -- ZAMBIA JOINING UGANDA, KENYA AND TANZANIA.

THE CHAMPIONSHIPS WERE DECLARED OPEN BY THE CHAIRMAN OF THE NATIONAL COUNCIL OF SPORTS, MR. J.M. OKAE.

STAR OF THE COMPETITION WAS UGANDA'S 18-YEAR-OLD JUDITH AYAA, WHO BROKE TWO RECORDS -- IN THE 200 METRES AND 400 METRES WITH TIMES OF 24.6 SECS AND 53.6 SECS RESPECTIVELY -- AND EQUALLED THE RECORD TIME OF 11.8 SECS IN THE 100 METRES.

OLYMPIC GOLD MEDAL WINNER, KIPCHOGE KEINO, OF KENYA, WHO MADE A LAST-MINUTE DECISION TO TAKE PART, COMFORTABLY WON THE 1,500 METRES IN 3 MINUTES 40 SECONDS, AND THE 5,000 METRES IN 14 MINUTES 22.6 SECONDS.

IN THE FIELD EVENTS, THREE RECORDS WERE SET. THE TRIPLE JUMP WAS WON JOINTLY BY A.K. MUNABI, OF UGANDA, AND PATRICK ONYANGCO, OF KENYA, BOTH CLEARING 52 FEET 6 1/2 INCHES. THE PREVIOUS RECORD OF 51 FEET 5 INCHES WAS HELD BY KENYA'S JOSHUA OKUTHSE.

ANOTHER RECORD WAS SET IN THE JAVELIN THROW WHEN KENYA'S SABENA SIGARA REACHED 135 FEET SEVEN INCHES.

K. KOECH, OF KENYA, CLEARED 13 FEET 3 INCHES TO WIN THE MEN'S POLE VAULT.