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Africa’s fastest man Ferdinand Omanyala and Commonwealth Games 800m champion Mary Moraa are among the stars who will be in action starting tomorrow.
They have the most colorful parades, they have the strictest protocols and they are usually armed to the teeth. But when it comes to athletics, wamekaliwa chapati. That is the Kenya Defense Forces. The National Athletics Championships taking place at nyayo stadium from Thursday to Saturday will confirm this.
For years upon years KDF have trailed Police in athletics despite the former having better resources and facilities. Their erstwhile forte of sprints and field events is also slipping away as hungry Police up their game in every succeeding year. Without coaches Julius Kirwa, John 'Warm Up' Mwithiga and Sang, Police and even Prisons would have finished the KDF might long ago.
Africa’s fastest man Ferdinand Omanyala, women’s 3000m Steeplechase world record holder Beatrice Chepkoech and Commonwealth Games 800m champion Mary Moraa are among the stars who will be in action for Police starting tomorrow. KDF, already over reliant on Helen Obiri, have Wiseman Were to count on for another possible gold medal.
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Most of the events on Thursday will see athletes fight to earn a slot in the finals while others like the 100m will see athletes clash for a semifinal slot.
The women’s 100m Hurdles will be the opening track event and will see Rukia Nusra of the Kenya Defense Forces take on Agnes Ngumbi with the hope of making the cut to the final. Nusra has not lost any hurdle race since the season started and she’ll be looking to maintain the hot streak when she lines up for the race.
The men’s 110m Hurdles race will see formidable Wiseman Were up against Sammy Rugut and Michael Musyoka. Were has also been in good shape and he will most likely outsmart his opponents. He will also be competing in the 400m Hurdle race. William Mbevi will prove to be Were’s closest challenger in the 400mH men’s race.
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The women’s 5000m semifinal has also attracted a quality field with the presence of Chepkoech, former Africa Under-18 3,000m champion Zenah Jeptoo and Cynthia Chepnegno of KDF. Youngster Betty Chelangat will also be in action alongside Jane Ghati of Nyanza South and Rebecca Njeri of Central.
Njeri has been a frequent participant in the Athletics Kenya weekend meetings and has been in good shape. Anjelina Nadai of the Refugee Athletics Federation will also be vying for a ticket.
The men’s 100m heats will be a do-or-die affair with Omanyala being a pre-race favourite. The Commonwealth Games champion has been in good shape since the season started and will be looking to extend the hot streak. He has promised a medal at the World Championships and he will be sure to deliver something great when he lines up tomorrow for the heats.
His brother, Isaac Omurwa will also be in action. Omurwa kickstarted his athletics career this year and has also proven to be a hard nut to crack. The brothers will, however, not be competing in the same heat.
Dan Kiviasi of Prisons and Steve Omondi are also big names who will be in action at the event. Samwel Imeta will, unfortunately, miss out on the event after he was provisionally suspended by the Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya.
The women’s 100m will see a Kenya Police affair where Monica Saphania and Maximilla Imali will be clashing. Omanyala’s fiancée, Laventa Amutavi, will also be competing. Others in action will be Nusra, Doreen Waka of Eastern, Praxides Were, and Linda Kageha. The trio of Saphania, Imali, and Amutavi will also meet in the women’s long jump.
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The men’s 1500m has also attracted a deep field and will see former world champion Elijah Manangoi back in action where he will face off against reigning world under-20 champion Reynold Kipkorir and national champion Abel Kipsang.
The women’s 3000m SC has attracted Pamela Kosgei, Jackline Jepkoech, and Virginia Nyambura who will be competing in her first 3000m SC race of the season. Chepkoech, the world record holder, will not be competing in her specialty. Reigning world under-20 champion Faith Cherotich will also not be in action.
The men’s 3000m SC will have Leonard Bett, Edmund Serem, Amos Serem, Benjamin Kigen, and Abraham Kibiwott fighting for top honors. Two-time world 3000m SC champion Conseslus Kipruto will not be in action.
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The 4x100m men’s relay will be a direct qualifier to the World Championships and will require the teams competing to dig deep and hit the qualifying times. Omanyala will team up with Boniface Mweresa, Steve Onyango and Robinson Motende. Omurwa will also be competing in the relay and he will be teaming up with Moses Wasike, Duke Ogoti, and Richard Ogutu.
Moraa headlines the women’s 800m race and she’ll be keen to shine on home soil. She will be competing against Naomi Korir, who will prove to be her closest challenger. The men’s 800m has attracted Ferguson Rotich, Wycliffe Kinyamal, and Timothy Cheruiyot. Trailblazing Emmanuel Wanyonyi has not been added to the start list.
Veronica Mutua and Damaris Nduleve headline the women’s 400m race. In the men’s 400m, youngster Elkanah Chemelil headlines the field.
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The men’s 5000m has attracted Daniel Simiu who will be fighting for top honours against Maxion Kipng’etich and Bravin Kiptoo.
The women’s 1500m semifinal has attracted Commonwealth Games 5000m champion Beatrice Chebet, Caroline Nyagah, and world under-20 1500m champion Brenda Chebet. Judy Kiyeng and youngster Purity Chepkirui will also be in action.
The 4x400m men’s race will be the last in Thursday’s program. It will also see teams fight for a slot in the World Championships since it’s a direct qualifier for the global showpiece.
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