Commonwealth Games: Kenya lays out plans to reclaim 10,000m crown

Julius Kirwa

Kenya head coach Julius Kirwa during an AK National Consultative Meeting in Machakos County on November 9, 2021.

Photo credit: Pool |

What you need to know:

  • NOC-K will Tuesday address a press conference concerning the athletics trials at 10.30am at their Gallant House offices, Westlands.
  • Athletics will have to share the 100 places with swimming, badminton, boxing, cycling, judo, lawn bowls, squash, triathlon and wrestling that are in the open allocation individual sports.

Early Commonwealth Games national trials will give Kenya ample time to strategise how to wrestle back the men’s 10,000m title, Athletics Kenya (AK) head coach Julius coach Julius Kirwa reckons.

The veteran coach said that Kenya has a good chance to recapture the title that has proved futile in the last four editions by virtue of the fresh blood that is coming through.

AK is set to conduct the invite-only national trials on Friday and Saturday at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani for the “Club” Games due July 28 to August 8 in Birmingham, Great Britain.

Wilberforce Talel is the last Kenyan to win the men's 10,000m title at the Commonwealth during the 2002 Manchester Games after he led Paul Malakwen to a Kenyan 1-2 feat.

Ugandans have dominated the race, winning the titles in the past four editions- Boniface Kiprop (2006 Melbourne), Moses Ndiema  (2010 Delhi, 2014 Glasgow) and Joshua Cheptegei (2018 Gold Coast).

 “We shall need to get into the camp immediately so as to work on how we can reclaim the lost glory in the 25-lap race,” said Kirwa, adding that even though talented, the upcoming athletes will need guidance.

Some of the names line up in the men’s 10,000m trials are youngster and World 10,000m bronze medallist, Rhonex Kipruto, Kip Keino Classic 10,000m winner Julius Kipkwony,  Weldon Langat, Kenneth Kiprop, Evans Keitany, Fredrick Moranga, Charles Mneria, Alfred Barkach and Richard Kimunyan among others.

With an allocation of 50 slots for the athletics team, Athletics Kenya senior deputy president in charge of competitions, Paul Mutwii, said that they might be forced to send one or two athletes in some discipline to the "Club" Games.

Kenya managed to collect 17 medals; four gold, seven silver and six bronze from the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games.

All the medals were from athletics, save for bronze in boxing by Christine Ongare in the women’s flyweight.

Only one field event, men’s javelin throw, will feature at the national trials for the Commonwealth Games.

Mutwii said they have lodged an appeal to the National Olympic Committee of Kenya (NOC-K), but hastened that things didn't look promising after the Olympic body insisted that they only have 100 spots in open allocation individual sports.

NOC-K will Tuesday address a press conference concerning the athletics trials at 10.30am at their Gallant House offices, Westlands in Nairobi.

Athletics will have to share the 100 places with swimming, badminton, boxing, cycling, judo, lawn bowls, squash, triathlon and wrestling that are in the open allocation individual sports.