For Kenyans, Olympics proper will begin with athletics programme

For all practical purposes, the 2024 Olympic Games will begin for Kenyans with the athletics programme on August 1 when Samuel Gathimba competes in the final of men’s 20 kilometres race walk, but the gold rush will continue to the final day on August 11 when two-time Olympics marathon champion, Eliud Kipchoge, attempts a hat trick of wins.

The Olympic Games, founded more than 126 years ago by French noblemen Charles Fierre Fredy and Baron de Coubertin who championed the promotion of internationalism and pacifism ideals and ethos through friendship of sports, return to Paris 100 years later today, bigger, better and all-inclusive. 

But de Coubertin’s other deals were far from fair, especially for women. Historians dismissed him as “certainly elitist, racist and notoriously misogynistic by today’s standards.”

Several women, and especially Kenyans, Ethiopians and East African ‘exports’ to some Middle East and European countries, are primed to prove wrong de Coubertin’s assumption that “an Olympiad with females would be impractical, uninteresting, anesthetic and improper.” 

Instead for Kenyans in Paris, the city of love, inimitable conquests and personalities of note, they are primed to make an even bigger mark hot on the heels of their success in 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest, where they out performed the men who returned home without a gold medal for the the first time since 1983 in any major global competition.

For once a race preview of the games is heavily skewed towards women and men who face an uphill task in at least three distances; 1,500 metres, 5,000m,10,000m, and 3,000m steeplechase.

From two-time Olympics 1,500m champion Faith Kipyegon who also holds the world 1,500m and 5,000m titles, world 800m champion Mary Moraa who also holds the Commonwealth Games title in the distance to 2022 World Athletics Championships 5,000m silver medallist Beatrice Chebet, the achievements of these women through their perseverance, and ambition are helping to raise the profile of Kenya women’s sports internationally and, in the process, changing attitudes of gender parity. 

In Paris, Kenya will be  represented by 32 women, 38 men for a total of 70 athletes. They are 19 women and 25 men in track and field events, 14  Kenya sevens rugby players (men), 12 female volleyballers, one judoka (female), two swimmers (women2), and one fencer (lady). 

The rugby team, which has missed  top action for a season after it suffered relegation from the World Sevens Series before its return this year, lost its group matches  21-7 to Argentina and 31-12 to Australia on Wednesday, and 26-0 to Samoa in Group ‘B’ yesterday at the Stade de France. The team is out of  contention for a medal.
It’s Kenyan women who will lend colour to Paris, the city of love, in the next two weeks. 
But the Kenyan women are not flower girls. From the women’s volleyball team Malkia Strikers, swimmer Maria Brunlehner, and judoka Zeddy Cherotich, the Kenyan women’s contingent to Paris might turn out to be the best ever in history.  That will be a befitting  contribution to sports in a country where women have made a mark. Three of France’s greatest women of all time - Joan of Arc, Maria Jose Perec, and Maria Antoinette - who remain as a reference point on matters human dignity to this day, and as recent as the current Gen Zoomers’ nationwide revolt.
But for all intents and purposes, Kenyan women are in Paris to break the jinx of failing to win Olympic gold medals in 5,000m, 10,000m and 3,000m steeplechase despite an impressive record at the World Athletics Championship level.

Kipyegon is going to Paris as the 1,500 metres and the record holder over One Mile. She is a second fastest ever 5,000m, and she is the world champion in the teo races.

Chebet set a new world record in 10,000m recently and is brimming with confidence as she prepares to double in the 24-lap event,  and the 3,000m steeplechase.

Moraa’s pony tail hairstyle will be swinging sideways in victory especially in absence of one of her great rivals Olympics champion Athing Mu of the United States who failed to qualify in the strict American trials.

Returning home the 800m Olympics title since Pamela Jelimo in 2008 will make Kenyans happy. So Moraa, and her compatriots Vivian Chebet and Lilian Odira have a huge responsibility.

The Paris Olympics could very easily be the best ever by Kenyan women while the men, smarting from the below par performance in Budapest, will try and reclaim their reputation first earned in 1968 Olympics re-emerge as the best distance runners in half a century.

Kipyegon , fondly referred as “Smiling conquerer” has peaked once again at the right time.

She bested her previous 1,500 m world record set in Florence in June 2023, by 0.07 seconds, after clocking three minutes, 49.04 seconds in Paris Diamond League 19 days ago, sending the warning shot to her opponents as she seeks to claim a third Olympics gold medal after Rio (2016 and Tokyo 2021). 

But there is Sifan Hassan of the Netherlands who again is tripling in the 1500m. 5000m and 10000m_ a thorn in the flesh of Kenyans, Ugandans and Ethiopians. Who will stop her?She has worthy competitors in all these events. 

Hassan will then join Chebet in the 5000m showdown which brings together a very strong Ethiopian team including the 10000m world champion Gudafy Tsegay who is also going for a double in the 5000m too. 

Chebet who set a new world record of 27:28.14 in the 10,000m at the Prefontaine Classic, will also compete in the 5,000m race. Kenya’ Margaret Chelimo and Lilian Kasait is the third athlete in the 10000m.

Chebet bested the previous record of 29.01.03 set by Ethiopia’s Letesenbet Gidey at FBK Stadium in the Netherlands on June 8, 2021.

The Ethiopian, like Kipyegon, is also lined up in the 5,000m.  The women are also angling for Kenya’s first ever Olympic 3000m steeplechase gold medal after now within firm grip of Perth Chemutai of Uganda. Interestingly, this event, once the preserve of Kenyan men, brings together Kenyans, Ugandans and their cousins from Bahrain who will be contesting for hold.

Kenyan-born Kazakhstan sisters Daisy Jepkemei and Norah Jeruto pose a great threat to Kenya while world champion Winfred Yavi of Bahrain entered the Olympic stadium as hot favourite.

Jeruto is the 2022 World Champion. Chepkemei is a one time world U20 champion.
Kenyan-born Ruth Jebet won a gold medal for Bahrain in 2016.