Walk Race: Heristone Wanyonyi lights up Nyayo in World U-20 trials
World Under-20 10,000m walk champion Heristone Wanyonyi on his way to victory in the Kenyan trials for the World Under-20 Championships at the Nyayo National Stadium in Nairobi on July 1, 2022.
What you need to know:
- Athletics President Jack Tuwei disclosed on Thursday that the first athlete across the line in the final of every event in the two-day trials will book an automatic ticket to the world junior event.
World Under-20 10,000m walk champion Heristone Wanyonyi on Friday was in a class of his own in the Kenyan trials for the World Under-20 Championships at the Nyayo National Stadium in Nairobi.
Wanyonyi, who stunned the world after becoming the first Kenyan to win a world title in any age category when he won the World Under-20 title at Kasarani last year, timed 43:16.1, over a minute faster than his closest challenger Stephen Ndakili who clocked 44:16.3.
The two-day event is used by Athletics Kenya to select a team that will be heading to Cali, Colombia for the World Under-20 Championships slated for August 1-6.
Wanyonyi already had a commanding lead after 10 laps, leaving his opponents playing catch up. Dominic Mwenda was third in 45:50.0.
The official qualification time for the World Under-20 is 43:50, meaning only Wanyonyi - who had already qualified for the event - will be the only Kenyan participant in the event in Cali.
"I'm happy to have won the race and this will be my second time to represent Kenya in the global event," Wanyonyi said.
"Coming back from an injury I picked during the Africa Senior Championships where I couldn't finish the 20km walk and finishing as a winner here is a good thing and shows that I'm in good shape," said Wanyonyi, who is coached by Gabriel Otwane from the General Service Unit in Nairobi.
"I will be meeting with some athletes whom we competed with in Nairobi last year and I know it would be a competitive race. I have to work extra hard to make sure I defend my title," added Wanyonyi, a former Ortum Boys High School alumnus in West Pokot County.
Ndankili says he was inspired by Wanyonyi's exploits last year where he couldn't compete because he was in isolation after testing positive for Covid-19 before the competition.
Athletics President Jack Tuwei disclosed on Thursday that the first athlete across the line in the final of every event in the two-day trials will book an automatic ticket to the world junior event.
