AK beefs up team for World Athletics Indoor Championships
3,000m steeplechase world record holder Beatrice Chepkoech works out at the Nyayo National Stadium on February 14, 2024.
What you need to know:
- The 1,500m heats will be held on March 1 followed by the final that will be the last race in the championships two days later. The 3,000m final will be held on March 2.
- It will be the second time Chepkoech is taking part at the world indoor after finishing seventh in 1,500m during the 2018 championships held in Birmingham, Great Britain.
Athletics Kenya (AK) have made two additions to the national team for the World Athletics Indoor Championships due on March 1 to 3 at the Commonwealth Arena, Glasgow, Scotland
The duo are 3,000m steeplechase world record holder Beatrice Chepkoech and Naomi Korir who qualified before the entries deadline.
At the same time, AK has called off the African Games trials that were to start Friday in Nairobi.
Athletics Kenya director of competitions, Paul Mutwii, disclosed that they have cancelled the Africa Games trials that were due for Nyayo National Stadium in honour of marathon world record holder Kelvin Kiptum who died in a road accident on Sunday.
Chepkoech, the 2023 world 3,000m steeplechase silver medallist qualified in both the 3,000m and 1,500m short track after finishing third in 3,000m in 8:30.87 at the Meeting Hauts-de-France Pas-de-Calais on Saturday in France.
The 2019 world 3,000m steeplechase champion had also finished fifth in the 1,500m in 4:01.17 during the Orlen Copernicus Cup on February 6 in Poland.
Chepkoech will now team up with the 2021 world under-20 3,000m champion Teresiah Gateri, who is based in Japan, in the women’s 3,000m at the world indoor event.
The pair will be hoping to emulate Hellen Obiri, the only Kenyan to win the world indoor 3,000m title as Chepkoech also hinted on doubling up in 1,500m if the programme allows.
“I will be happy to do both but I will weigh the options since I am going for nothing short of a podium finish,” she said.
Obiri, the only woman to have won world titles at indoor, cross country and track, claimed the 3,000m indoor title at the 2012 world title in Istanbul, Turkey.
The 1,500m heats will be held on March 1 followed by the final that will be the last race in the championships two days later. The 3,000m final will be held on March 2.
It will be the second time Chepkoech is taking part at the world indoor after finishing seventh in 1,500m during the 2018 championships held in Birmingham, Great Britain.
Korir, who has qualified through her superior world ranking, joins Vivian Chebet in the quest for the women’s 800m honours.
The duo will be eyeing to replicate Pamela Jelimo’s 2012 world indoor exploits. Jelimo is the only Kenyan woman to win the world 800m indoor title and the only other besides Margaret Nyairera to win medals in 800m.
On the African Games Mutwii said: “The selection criteria will be announced later where we shall either consider holding trials or just selection from the previous Athletics Kenya Track and Field Meetings. It will be awkward to continue with trials while mourning a great man.”
Team Kenya
60m Ferdinand Omanyala
800m Noah Kibet, Collins Kipruto(men). Vivian Chebet, Naomi Korir (women)
1,500m Reynold Kipkorir, Vincent Kibet
3,000m Teresiah Muthoni Gateri, Beatrice Chepkoech
4x400m relay- Boniface Mweresa, Zablon Ekwam, Kelvin Tauta, Wiseman Were
