Daniel Mateiko has earned high praise since his stunning win at the Prefontaine Classic and there are now comparisons between him and greats Eliud Kipchoge and the late Kelvin Kiptum.
Daniel Mateiko stunned the world on Saturday during the Prefontaine Classic, the Diamond League Meeting in Eugene, where he won the men’s 10,000m race and sealed a ticket to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
He will be making his debut at the event and expectations are high given he trains with legendary marathoner Eliud Kipchoge at the Global Sports Communication in Kaptagat.
Comparisons are already being made about the possibility of the youngster being a mix of Kipchoge and the late Kelvin Kiptum, the world marathon record holder, following his run at the Prefontaine Classic to take the top honours.
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Speaking after arriving at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, the National Olympic Committee of Kenya president Paul Tergat agrees with the comparison and notes that if he maintains consistency and hard work, he will definitely be the athlete to beat at the event.
“You saw it…it was open. I don’t think you need to be informed about that. We are very proud of him and I think the future is great,” Tergat said.
He added that athletes selected for the 10,000m team have an opportunity to make history by reclaiming the title and they should not sleep on it.
The last time Kenya won a gold medal in the men’s 10,000m race was during the 1968 Mexico Olympics where Naftali Temu raised the Kenyan flag high. Since then, Ethiopians and Britons have shown Kenyan dust through the likes of Sir Mo Harah, Selemon Barega and Kenenisa Bekele.
Tergat insisted that it is now time for the Kenyans to showcase their talent one more time and take back what belongs to them.
“We are happy to be back home…we went to Prefontaine Classic, one of the top Diamond Leagues which was held in the States," he added.
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“The most important thing is that we wanted a forum for exposure and we are all hoping and praying that we shall have the best of the best.
“This opportunity that we are giving our athletes, we are also showing them that they have the opportunity to make history in the Olympic Games,” he added.