Foreign-based athletes ready for Olympic trials
National Cross Country Champion Rodgers Kwemoi during the interview with Nation Sport at Global Sports Communication Camp in Kaptagat, Elgeyo Marakwet County on February 16, 2021.
What you need to know:
- Rosemary Wanjiru, who finished fourth during the World Championships will headline the 10,000m women's race as she looks to outwit the home athletes.
- US-based Edward Cheserek joins the long list of 10,000m athletes, while Emmanuel Korir will be competing in the 400m race after jetting back from US three weeks ago.
Foreign-based Kenyan athletes have jetted in for the Tokyo Olympic trials that start Thursday at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani.
Athletics Kenya will use the three-day event to select the team that will represent the country at the July 23 to August 8 showpiece. A number of athletes, who work and live in Japan are in the country ready to fight for slots in Team Kenya.
Commonwealth Games 10,000m bronze medalist Rodgers Kwemoi, who has been signed by Asian Kogyo Corporate team, will be hoping to make his mark over the distance.
After the cancellation of the Africa Cross Country Championships due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Kwemoi, who arrived back home last month, shifted his focus to the national trials.
“I have been training in Kaptagat, Elgeyo Marakwet County and I’m confident I will do well,” said Kwemoi.
Bernard Kibet, who works for Kyudenko will also be competing in the 10,000m race, where he will be eyeing a slot in the team, which will see the first two athletes qualify automatically, with the third athlete to be determined by the technical team.
Evans Keitany works for Toyota Poshoku and will line up in the 5,000m race where he will be up against Justus Soget, who has been contracted by Honda and Richard Kimunyan of Hitachi Company.
Samuel Chebole, younger brother to Ronald Kwemoi and contracted by Kanebo Company, is also in the 5,000m race.
“It has been a month of intense training and my target is just simple, to make the team because I’m looking forward to represent my country for the first time in the Olympic Games,” said Keitany, who has been training in Iten, Elgeyo Marakwet County.
Pauline Kaveke of Route Inn Hotels Corporate running team will be in the 5,000m women's race.
Philemon Kiplangat working with Asian Kogyo Corporate team is in the 3,000m steeplechase race where he will be seeking to outdo some of the best in the distance among them Conseslus Kipruto, Abraham Kibiwott, Leonard Bett among others.
Rosemary Wanjiru, who finished fourth during the World Championships will headline the 10,000m women's race as she looks to outwit the home athletes.
US-based Edward Cheserek joins the long list of 10,000m athletes, while Emmanuel Korir will be competing in the 400m race after jetting back from US three weeks ago.
