JUST OVER six months ago Kenya was still on the brink of civil war, which left many of its famous athletes on the run. In ways, they were still running last night as if their lives depended on it, particularly in the men's 3,000 metres steeplechase.

This is the event Kenya has owned since 1968, boycotts aside, and losing last night would have been akin to a national disaster. Well they won, just about, as Brimin Kipruto held off the unlikely challenge of France's Mahiedine Mekhissi to maintain the greatest national winning streak at the Olympics.

This achievement, however, was quickly surpassed in the race that followed.

Believe it or not, no Kenyan woman athlete had won a gold medal on the track, and as if to underline that turning point, they went one-two in the women's 800 metres in what was easily the most breathtaking performance of the night.

Just four months ago, Pamela Jelimo was an 18-year-old sprint specialist, an unlikely breed in Kenya, when team-mate Janeth Jepkosgei, last year's world champion, suggested she move up to 800 metres.

Perhaps Jepkosgei is regretting that advice, as Jelimo won the gold after a stunning last lap solo in 1:54.87 - a world junior record, African senior record, and the sixth fastest of all time.

Jepkosgei won silver in 1:56.07, with Morocco's Hasna Banhassi in third, while back in fifth place in what was her fifth consecutive Olympics was 35-year-old Maria Mutola of Mozambique, and incredibly, that maintained her record of never finishing outside the top five in her five Olympic finals, the highpoint being winning gold in Sydney in 2000.

Panama won their first track gold medal through long jump favourite Irving Saladino, who only needed a quite ordinary 8.34 metres.