NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — World champion Vivian Cheruiyot of Kenya won the women’s 5,000 metres at the African athletics championships yesterday, as the host nation seeks to re-establish dominance over rival Ethiopia in the distance events.

Cheruiyot pulled away from Ethiopian duo Meseret Defar and Sentayehu Ejigu over the final 400 metres, winning in 16 minutes, 18.72 seconds.

In the sprint events, Ben Youssef Meite of Ivory Coast won the men’s 100 in 10.08 seconds — 0.03 seconds faster than Frenchman Christophe Lemaitre’s winning time in the European championships Wednesday — with Ghana’s Zakari Aziz second in 10.12 and South Africa’s Simon Magakwe taking bronze in 10.14.

Blessing Okagbare of Nigeria won the women’s 100 in 11.03 seconds, equaling her personal best. Perennes Pau Zang Milama of Gabon won silver in 11.15, while Nigeria’s Osayemi Damola was third in 11.22.

Adigun Seun of Nigeria won the women’s 100 hurdles in 13.14 seconds while Senegal’s Gnima Faye took silver in a time of 13.67.

More than 700 athletes from 53 African countries are taking part in the event.

Security at the 17th edition of the championships, a biennial event, was intensified following the July 11 twin bomb attacks in Uganda’s capital Kampala that killed 76 people during the World Cup final.