Omanyala barred from relays as Kinyamal, Rotich face-off at Nyayo

An explosive battle beckons with World 800m bronze medallist Ferguson Rotich and Commonwealth Games 800m champion Wycliffe Kinyamal having been slotted in the same 800m heat at the third Athletics Kenya Relay Series.

The third leg, which is scheduled for the Nyayo National Stadium, is the final event and will pave way for the World Relay Championships national trials due March 26 to 27 at the same venue.

Also in the same heat is the 2011 Africa Junior 800m silver medallist Jeremiah Mutai and 2016 World 800 champion Kumari Taki.

During the second leg held on January 23, Mutai, who represented Kenya in 4x800m at the 2015 World Relays and in 2013 World Championships and  2014 World Indoor Championships, posted the fastest time in 800m, winning his heat in 1:47.40.

Kinyamal won his heat in the second fastest time of 1:47.77, Cornelius Tuwei came in with the third fastest time of 1:47.80 followed by Taki (1:48.03) but Rotich opted to compete in 400m.

“My ultimate target is the Tokyo Olympic Games where I really want to upgrade to something better after clinching bronze at the 2019 Doha World Championships, “ said Rotich, 31.

“I have been bogged down by hamstring injuries since winning gold at 2018 Commonwealth Games but I am better now,” said Kinyamal during the second leg of the series.

The men’s 800m will have three heats with Mutai, Kinyamal, Rotich and Taki coming in last.

Moraa raring to go

The national 400m champion Mary Moraa, who chalked the fastest time in 800m (2:04.92) in the previous outing, highlights the first heat in the women's 800m race.

The heat also has the 2018 Continental Cup 1,500m champion Winny Chebet (2:11.80) while the second heat has the likes of  Emily Cherotich (2:05:95) and Josephine Chelangat (2:5:11).

The anticipated 100m battle between national 100m record holder Mark Otieno and Ferdinand Omanyala, who ran the fastest on Kenyan soil since Chidi Imo (10.10, wind assisted) during the 1997 African Games, won’t happen.

Omanyala, who clocked wind-assisted 10.11seconds and Boniface Mweresa, who competed in 200m, have been left out by Athletics Kenya owing to their past anti-doping rules violation. Both sprinters have finished serving doping bans not exceeding two years.

Initially, AK senior vice-president Paul Mutwii had indicated that those completing doping bans can still take part in locally organised events but not when national teams are being selected.

However, an executive meeting on February 3 meeting resolved to ban them altogether but they can still secure other races outside the country.

Otieno, who holds the national records of 10.14, clocked the second fastest time in the previous leg of 10.32. He highlights the second heat that has Pius Muia (10.98) and Mathew Elijah (10.85). The men’s 100m has four heats.