Tight fight for Olympics tickets in men’s 10,000m final

World silver medallist Geoffrey Kamworor will take on double World 10,000m bronze medallist Paul Tanui and World Cross Country silver medallist Bedan Karoki in what promises to be a mouth-watering men’s 10,000m final on Thursday.

Kamworor, who is also the World Half Marathon and World Cross Country champion, was to be given a wild in 10,000m race. That will not happen, though, because he failed to compete in the 5,000m final on Thursday.

After retaining his World Half Marathon title in March in Cardiff, Wales, Kamworor warmed up for the trials with a second place finish in the 5,000m race at Prefontaine Classic in May in 12:59.98.

Tanui, who won bronze in the 2013 and 2015 World Championship and Karoki, a fourth place finisher in 10,000m at 2012 London Olympics are favourites to book places for the Games.

But the 2012 Africa 10,000m champion Kenneth Kipkemoi and Africa 10,000m silver medallist Wilfred Kimitei will pose a strong challenge. The threat from 2013 World Country junior silver medallist, Leonard Barsaton, Alfred Sambu and veteran Vincent Kiprop can also not be played down.

“I have been battling a hamstring injury but I hope for result,” said Karoki, who sustained the injury after winning the World Half Marathon silver medal in March.

In the other final, the 2013 World 1,500m bronze medallist Hellen Obiri takes the battle to Commonwealth 5,000m champion Mercy Cherono in the women’s 5,000m.

Obiri, who hopes to make a return to the international scene after a one-year maternity break, finished second in the 1,500m race at the Shanghai and Stockholm Diamond Leagues. She also won the women’s 5,000m race at the Prefontaine Classic.

“I realised I won’t have good finishing speed in 1,500m after the maternity break hence my switch to 5,000m,” said Obiri. “I believe I stand a chance,” she added.

TOUGH BATTLE

Rome perhaps was the most interesting race for Cherono where she managed a personal best of 14:33.95.

Obiri and Cherono are up against seasoned long distance runners Janet Kisa, who is the 2014 Africa Cross Country silver medallist and Viola Kibiwott among others. The Kenyans will be hoping to stop Ethiopian dominance in the last three Olympics.

Meserat Defar won in 2004 Athens and 2012 London while Tirunesh Dibaba won in 2008 Beijing.

In the women’s 3,000m steeplechase, World champion Hyvin Kiyeng, 2015 Diamond League Series winner Virginia Nyambura, Africa champion Norah Jeruto and former World Junior champion Daisy Jepkemoi and Commonwealth champion Purity Cherotich will battle for Rio tickets.

Also in contention are the 2013 World silver medallist Lydia Chepkirui, 2012 Africa bronze medallist and national champion Lydia Rotich and former World junior champion Ruth Bosibori.