All set for World U-20 trials at Nyayo

The road to the World Under-20 Athletics Championships in Cali, Colombia, reaches its peak when Athletics Kenya (AK) select Team Kenya for the global championships starting Friday at Nyayo National Stadium.

AK president Jack Tuwei disclosed Thursday that the first athlete to cross the finish line in their respective final in the two-day trials will book an automatic ticket to the world junior event programmed from August 1 to 6 in the South American country.

“Our panel of selectors will then pick the second athlete where necessary,” said Tuwei at the pre-event press briefing Thursday at Riadha House.

The program looks exciting with nine medallists from the last 2021 Nairobi World Under-20 Athletics Championships contesting for places in the team that will be named Saturday.

What makes it interesting and competitive is that only two athletes will get tickets from each event to Cali. More so, it’s only in 100m, 200m and field events where athletes have not met the qualifying standards. 

The women’s 5,000m final that goes down Friday and men’s 5,000m final on Saturday will be one of the most competitive events on the card.

World Under-20 5,000m champion Benson Kiplagat, who is now based in Japan, might have a slight edge over the pack based on his performance this season, but Central Rift Levi Kibet, who claimed bronze last year is also in strong contention.

It will be suicidal for Kiplagat and Kibet to downplay the challenge posed by Central’s Samuel Kibathi, Nelson Mandela from Southern, Eastern’s Kibiwott Serem and Levi Kiplagat.

Benson, who won both the National Cross Country and Memorial Agnes Tirop World Cross Country Gold Tour early this year, has personal as well as season’s best time of 13 minutes and 10.41 seconds from Montreuil International Meeting, in Montreuil, France on June 22.

However, Levi Kibet is the fastest in the pack with personal and season's best of 13:01.32 from his ninth place finish at Rome Diamond League on June 9.

South Rift’s Maureen Cherotich, who was the best placed Kenyan in sixth place in 5,000m at last year's edition, is still favourite by virtue of being the fastest in the pack in 16:01.0.

North Rift’s Jane Gati, who has PB 16:01.2, Mercy Chepkemoi PB 16:02.0 and Maureen Jepkosgei PB 176:04.3 have all been tipped to perform well.

Nairobi’s Heristone Wanyonyi, who made history when he won the 10,000m race in Nairobi, should win his event with ease against teammate Stephen Ndagili on Friday.

Wanyonyi walked into the annals of history as the first Kenyan to ever win in a race walk at any major world competition.

In March this year, Wanyonyi finished fourth in World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships junior 10km race walk in a national junior record time of 45:18.

Margaret Gati, who came in eighth in women’s 10,000m race walk at the world event in a National Record of 49:15.12, will also be aiming for a better shot in the women’s final on Saturday.

Purity Chepkirui, the wonder girl from South Rift, who recaptured the 1,500m crown that Olympic 1,500m champion Faith Chepng’etich last won for Kenya at 2012 Barcelona, will be out to do her magic starting at the semi-finals on Friday.

The men’s 1,500m battle is open to Southern’s Justus Muasya and Felix Muthiani, Victor Kipkirui (Eastern) and Josphat Kipkirui (Central Rift).

With defending champion Emmanuel Wanyonyi qualifying for the World Championships and Commonwealth Games, Noah Kibet from North Rift, who claimed bronze medal in 800m at the world junior event, is a sure bet. He will compete against Shadrack Kimutai and Koitalel Kidali (Southern).