Big names vie for top honours at National Championships
Daniel Simiu celebrates winning the men's 10,000m race during the Absa Kip Keino Classic at Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani on May 13, 2023.
What you need to know:
- Of course, the evergreen 2015 world javelin champion Julius Yego of Police will be out to stamp his authority over training mate and KDF champion Alexander Kiprotich as he defend his title for his 10th gong.
- Also from the Kenya Police stable is the national 100m and 200m champion and record holder Maximilla Imali and her fellow sprinters and former national 100m champions Monica Safania, Eunice Kadogo and Millicent Ndoro.
Olympic, World and Commonwealth Games medallists flock to Kenya’s second cathedral for sports, the Nyayo National Stadium, Thursday to Saturday for this year’s Athletics Kenya National Championships.
However, with World Athletics having sanctioned the championships as a world ranking event, the country will be hosting athletes from seven foreign countries -- Botswana, South Africa, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Seychelles and Eswatini.
The championships will crucial for most sprinters as they battle to meet the qualifying standard for World Athletics Championships scheduled for August 29 to 27 in Budapest, Hungary.
Team Botswana, who are strong on sprints, are expected in Nairobi Thursday morning.
Team Kenya head coach Julius Kirwa has crafted a strong Kenya One team in the the men’s 4x100 metres and 4x400m relays with a view of catapulting them to the world event through a superior world ranking.
It will also be the stage for Kenya Police Service, Kenya Defence Forces and Kenya Prisons Service to flex their muscle with world class athletes.
Police are primed to lift the overall team title but expect stiff opposition from region teams like North, Central Rift and South Rift.
Commonwealth Games champions Ferdinand Omanyala (100m), Beatrice Chebet (5,000m), Mary Moraa (800m), Wycliffe Kinyamal (800m) and Abraham KIbiwott (3,000m steeplechase) are some of the top cream that Kenya Police Service will unleash.
Others are Commonwealth Games 10,000m silver medallist Daniel Simiu.
Omanyala, the Africa 100m champion and record holder, lacks serious challengers in his 100m title defence while it will be interesting to see how Chebet, the reigning world cross country champion and world 5,00m silver medallist, will fare in 1,500m.
“I have no specific targets really at the event but my build up towards Budapest continues,” said Omanyala, who finished second in the Florence and Paris legs of the Diamond League.
Omanyala will be anchoring Kenya One in the 4x100m race that goes down at 11.20am Thursday.
Chebet avoided the 5,000m during the Kenya Police Services Championships two weeks ago to win the 1,500m final with ease.
Moraa, the world 800m bronze medallist is also a favourite to win her specialty, having warmed up to the nationals with an impressive victory in 400m in a time of 50.67 seconds at the police meet.
Of course, the evergreen 2015 world javelin champion Julius Yego of Police will be out to stamp his authority over training mate and KDF champion Alexander Kiprotich as he defend his title for his 10th gong.
Also from the Kenya Police stable is the national 100m and 200m champion and record holder Maximilla Imali and her fellow sprinters and former national 100m champions Monica Safania, Eunice Kadogo and Millicent Ndoro.
