Kenyan juniors head to Paris for expert training
Kenya's Sylvia Chelangat (left) and Bermuda's Caitlyn Bobb freact after their 400m heat during the World Under-20 Athletics Championship at Kasarani on August 18, 2021.
What you need to know:
- Chelangat, who claimed bronze in women’s 400m during the World Athletics Under-20 Championships held in Nairobi last year, is in the team together with Peter Kithome.
- Kithome got bronze in 4x400m and finished sixth in men’s 400m hurdles final at the same world junior event.
World Under-20 400m bronze medallist Sylvia Chelangat is among 11 juniors selected by Athletics Kenya (AK) to undergo specialised training in Miramas, France.
The team of sevens boys and four girls drawn mainly from sprints and field events leaves the country on Saturday.
They will be based at Miramas Athletics Club in the south of France until May 2.
At the same time, AK excluded athletes who have not met the World Athletics anti-doping requirements from the national trials for the World Athletics Championships that will be held from July 15 to 24 in Oregon, United States.
The juniors under coach Andrew Maritim will compete in France where they will try to attain the qualifying standards for the World Under-20 Athletics Championships set for Cali, Colombia from August 1 to 6.
“This is something we have been yearning for and the collaboration with Athletics Kenya and Miramas Athletics Club is good news,” said Maritim.
“Sports is becoming more scientific and it will be great for these juniors to get to know the biomechanics of spirit running,” said Maritim.
Maritim said he hoped Athletics Kenya will strike partnerships with countries that are good in sprints and field events to help Kenya junior athletes improve their skills.
It’s in Miramas where Africa’s fastest man Ferdinand Omanyala opened his season with his maiden indoor appearance.
Omanyala didn’t disappoint as he went on to break the national 60m indoor record with a time of 6.63 seconds on February 4.
“Omanyala’s performance since last year when he broke the Africa 100m record in 9.77 seconds has heightened interest in sprints,” said Maritim.
Chelangat, who claimed bronze in women’s 400m during the World Athletics Under-20 Championships held in Nairobi last year, is in the team together with Peter Kithome.
Kithome got bronze in 4x400m and finished sixth in men’s 400m hurdles final at the same world junior event.
Others are Mercy Chebet (200m/100m), Winny Chepng’etich (triple jump), Judy Kemunto (400m), Elkanah Kiprotich (400m), Meshack Baraka (400mh/110h), Jonathan Mutua (200m), Dominic Kipkorir (shot put), Alex Njeru (200m), Reynold Kipkorir (800m), Andrew Maritim (coach) and Perpetua Mbutu (coach).
AK president Jack Tuwei, meanwhile warned that Kenya will remain in Category “A” of World Athletics anti-doping rules for another year.
Category “A” requires athletes to have three out-of-competition tests, one which should be a blood test. The process should happen within 10 months to the World Athletics Championships.
“We are not out of the woods yet with World Athletics extending our stay in Category ‘A’ of countries with doping prevalence until the end of this year,” said Tuwei.
Even though the organiser of the Africa Senior Athletics Championships and Birmingham Commonwealth Games are not as strict as World Athletics, Tuwei cautioned that athletes must adhere to anti-doping requirements.
“Don’t be shocked if we send a small team to the World Championships. That is why we are encouraging athletes to adhere to these rules,” said Tuwei.
