Local stars eyeing top prizes at Classic and much more

There will be more at stake for Kenyan athletes at the Absa Kip Keino Classic on Saturday as most will also be trying to chase the World Athletics Championships entry standards.

By Tuesday, 379 Kenyans had attained the qualifying criteria for this year's World Athletics Championships scheduled for August 19 to 27 in Budapest, Hungary.

They have either met the entry standards, quota place and world ranking. However, the quota place and world rankings are bound to change by the closure of the qualifying period on July 31.

A total of 241 men and 138 women have met the standards. Some 154 men and 80 women from Kenya have hit the marathon qualifying standards.

Absa Kip Keino Classic is the only remaining event in the country besides the Athletics Kenya National Championships and the national trials where athletes can post entry standards for Budapest.

The Kenyan championships are due for June 22 to 24 at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani while the trials for the world event are scheduled for July 14 to 15 at the same venue.

The focus at Kip Keino Classic will mostly be on short and middle distance events where few Kenyans have attained the qualifying standards for Budapest.

For instance, in 400m, Boniface Mweresa is the only male qualifier while Commonwealth Games 800m champion Mary Moraa and Africa 400m bronze medallist Veronica Mutua meet the criteria in women’s event.

Moraa, who is also one of three Kenyan women to meet the standards in 800m, hit the standards in 400m when she won at the Botswana Golden Grand Prix with a national record time of 50.44 seconds.

Mutua’s world ranking of 67 places her as next best by World Athletics to qualify from Kenya but she will be looking to meet or surpass the entry standards of 51.00 to be safe.

Mweresa struck the entry standard of 45.00 when he finished fourth in a personal best of 44.96 during the 400m final at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham last year.

Mweresa hopes to improve that time further in men’s 400m discretionary event at the Absa Kip Keino Classic where compatriot, Olympic and world 800m champion Emmanuel Korir and Collins Omae will compete.

“Making it to Budapest will be a reality because I have been building up well in South Africa for the last one month,” said Omae. “I want to be at the peak during national championships and trials. I am looking for a good time on Saturday.”

In 100m, it’s only Africa 100m record holder Ferdinand Omanyala and Samuel Imeta, who have attained the criteria in men’s 100m with national 100m and 200m champion and record holder Maximilla Imali in women’s 100m.

Omanyala (fifth) and Imeta (30th) are yet to hit their qualifying mark of 10.00. However their world ranking as of now grants them a ticket to Budapest.

Omanyala also qualifies by virtue of being the continental champion.

"I want to avoid mathematics by hitting the mark on Saturday,"said Imeta, who has a season best of 10.10 from his victory in 100m final two at Botswana Golden Grand Prix.

Wiseman Were (17th) and William Mbevi (29th)have one foot in Budapest courtesy of their good world ranking. Only three women -- Moraa, Naomi Korir and Jarinter Mawia have Budapest standards courtesy of their world ranking.

Moraa is the only who has met entry standards of 1:59.80 with her 1:57.07 from Commonwealth Games victory, while Mawia qualifies by virtue of being the Africa champion.

Korir, Commonwealth Games 800m champion Wycliffe Kinyamal and Collins Kipruto have hit the entry times for Budapest, while Noah Kibet (19), Nicholas Kiplagat (110, Koitatoi Kidali (29) and Elias Ngeny (33) have good world rankings.

[email protected]