Going gets tough for Gathimba in 10,000m race walk
Samuel Kireri Gathimba of Team Kenya on day one of the World Athletics Championships Oregon22 at Hayward Field on July 15, 2022 in Eugene, Oregon.
What you need to know:
- Gathimba said he is glad he has already qualified for next year’s World Athletics Championships in Budapest where he intends to perform well after having settled fourth at Oregon’s world event.
In Birmingham
Double continental 20 kilometre race walk champion Samuel Gathimba Sunday found the going tough as he missed out on the medal bracket in the men’s 10,000 metres race walk final at the Alexander Stadium.
Gathimba, the 2022 World Cup 20km bronze medallist, led the better part of the first half, but the pace was too fast for him and he eventually finished fifth in a personal best of 39 minutes and 23.14 seconds.
Gathimba had in the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games settled for bronze in the event that covered 20km.
Canadian Evan Dunfee won in a Championship Record time of 38:36.37as Declan Tingay clocked 38:42.33 for silver with Sandeep Kumar getting bronze in 38:49.21.
“This simply wasn’t my event. I would have won easily if it was 20km. The pace was high for me to stay with the leading pack. I always pick from 10km up in 20km events but there was no room in this” said Gathimba, the African Games and African champion.
Gathimba said he is glad he has already qualified for next year’s World Athletics Championships in Budapest where he intends to perform well after having settled fourth at Oregon’s world event.
