AK names provisional marathon team for Paris Olympics

Marathon world record holder Kelvin Kiptum and defending champions Eliud Kipchoge and Peres Jechirchir are among top athletes Athletics Kenya (AK) have picked to prepare for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.

AK Director of Competitions, Paul Mutwii disclosed Monday that they have picked 10 athletes in each of the men and women’s categories to do duty for the country.

Mutwii explained that each of the categories will be whittled down to five in each category-three to compete and two reserves- at the end of January next year.

Mutwii said that the selection committee based their selection on world ranking this year and athletes’ performances in major marathon races across the world especially the World Marathon Majors (Tokyo, Boston, London, Berlin, Chicago and New York City). 

“We also considered consistency, anti-doping requirements, discipline, willingness and championship mentality and attitude of the athletes. 

“You see, there are those athletes who do well with pacesetters and those who don’t. We have taken that into consideration too,” explained Mutwii but hastened that there is still room for any other athlete who will prove is better than those selected.

Mutwii said that they shall convene a meeting with those who have been selected alongside their sponsors, the National Olympic Committee of Kenya (NOC-K) and any other pertinent party in January.

“We shall also come up with a training program that will suit all the athletes. We have the common camp strategy or the athletes’ separate training,” said Mutwii.  

Kenya has held a firm grip in the marathon at the Olympics, winning both men and women’s titles in the last two editions in 2016 Rio and 2020 Tokyo.

Kipchoge won both editions while Jemimah Sumgong (2016) and Jepchirchir (2020) claimed the honours in women's races.

Besides Kiptum, who is the reigning London Marathon and Chicago Marathon champion, and Kipchoge, the Berlin Marathon champion and the 2019 world marathon bronze medallist Amos Kipruto have been lined up in the tentative team.

Vincent Kipkemoi Ng'etich, who finished second in Berlin in 2:03:13, Benson Kipruto, who finished third in Boston and second in Chicago and three-time world half marathon champion Geoffrey Kamworor have also been considered.

Jepchirchir, who finished third in the London Marathon in April before retaining her world half marathon title for a hat-trick in Latvia in October, tops the charts.

The 2019 world marathon champion Ruth Chepng'etich, who retained her Nagoya Marathon title in March before settling second in Chicago in October, Boston and New York City Marathon champion Hellen Obiri and Tokyo Marathon title holder Rosemary Wanjiru are in the women’s tentative team.

Former marathon world record holder Brigid Kosgei, the 2022 world marathon silver medallist Judith Jeptum Korir and Sheila Chepkiruri, who was placed second in Berlin, have also been considered. 

Provisional squad

Men

1.Kelvin Kiptum

2.Eliud Kipchoge

3.Vincent Kipkemoi Ng'etich

4.Timothy Kiplagat

5.Benson Kipruto

6.Bernard Kiprop Koech

7.Geoffrey Kamworor

8.Cyprian Kotut

9. Amos Kipruto

10.Titus Kipruto

Women

1.Ruth Chepng'etich

2.Rosemary Wanjiru

3.Joycilline Jepkosgei

4.Sheila Chepkirui

5.Peres Jepchichir

6. Judith Jeptum Korir

7.Seley Chepyego Kaptich

8.Hellen Obiri

9.Sharon Lokedi

10.Brigid Kosgei