Jesire hopes to write new script in junior event

Zeddy Jesire, Kenya’s sole representative in high jump, is determined to give her best when she comes up against tough opponents in the World Athletics Under 20 Championships from August 18-22 at Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani. 

Jesire picked up high jump and long jump in the unlikeliest of places. While herding goats in the fields, the animals would stray, forcing her to run after them in the rugged terrain in Ackonwonin village, Barwesa, Baringo County. She learnt to jump across deep gulleys and trenches left behind after severe soil erosion.

Jesire jumped 1.68 metres against the qualifying mark of 1.82m during the national trials held at Kasarani last month.

Jesire was selected to the national team because she won the event, even though she did not qualify, because World Athletics allows a host nation to field an athlete in every field event during the  global junior championships.

Kenya is a powerhouse in long and short distance races, but has not made an impact in field events such as high jump, triple jump and shot put.

However, former world champion Julius Yego put Kenya on the map in javelin and Mathew Sawe made a good effort in high jump during the recently held Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan.

The women’s high jump contest at the World Under 20 Championships has attracted a stellar field.

Jesire will face off with Belgium’s Merel Maes and France’s Laureen Maxwell who have both jumped 1.91m this year. Maes, 16, secured her second national title and also has an outdoor best jump of 1.88m.

Other competitors in high jump are authorised neutral athletes Natalya Spiridonova, who won silver at the European Under 20 Championships in July,  Adelina Khalikov and Italy’s Idea Pieroni. All these athletes have jumped over 1.90m in the last two years.

Serbia’s Angelina Topic has cleared a personal best of 1.88m this year, and will hope to follow in the footsteps of her father, Dragutin Topic, who won the 1990 World Under 20 title with a 2.37m clearance which still stands as the world record.

Jesire told Nation Sport that she is not worried about her opponents and their sparkling credentials.

She said that competing against the stars will help her get the much-needed experience and prepare her to become a star in the future.

“We are almost there, and my target is to perform well despite the stiff competition expected from other tough opponents. The competition will give me exposure,” she said.

Jesire will also represent Kenya in the long jump in which she will compete against Colombia’s Natalia Linares Gonzalez (6.33m), Brazilians Lissandra Maysa Campos (6.45), Giovana Corradi (6.15) and Italy’s Arriana Battistella (6.55m) among others.

Poland’s Anna Matuszewicz (6.49m), Ukraine’s Mariia Horielova (6.49m), India’s under-20 record holder Shaili Singh (6.48m), Campos (6.45m), Jamaica’s Shantae Foreman (6.43m), Nigeria’s Ruth Agadama (6.42m) and Poland’s Roksana Jedraszak have passed the 6.40m mark this season.

Meanwhile, Winnie Chepngetich Bii (12.07m) will represent Kenya in triple jump event.

She will line up against Sweden’s Maja Askag who has a personal best of 14.05 and leads in the entry list.

In discus, Linda Kageha (37.34m) will carry Kenya’s flag against a strong field which includes authorised neutral athlete Violatta Ignatyeva who has thrown 62.54 m and Belarus’s Alina Nikitsenka with 55.84.

“Getting into the bubble training camp has really helped improve my performance,”  Kageha said.