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The sprinter is targeting a place in Kenya's Olympics team when his suspension ends this month
Kenyan sprinter Mark Otieno has revealed his plans moving forward as his two-year doping ban approaches its conclusion at the end of July.
The three-time national champion is relishing a strong comeback into competitive athletics after two years out of the sport when he was suspended by the Athletics Integrity Unit due to the presence of prohibited substance Methasterone in his system.
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12:20 - 12.07.2023
ATHLETICS: Sprinter Mark Otieno gearing to restart career on a clean slate as doping ban ends
Otieno’s ban is backdated to July 31, 2021, and this is the month he is set to complete his ban (July 30) and be cleared to officially continue with his sprinting career.
Otieno’s ban was backdated to July 31, 2021, and he has nine days left until his ban officially ends (July 30), after which he can resume his sprinting career.
Otieno was banned just moments before he was due to compete in the 100m heats at the delayed 2020 Tokyo Olympics. He has revealed the biggest lesson he learnt over his ban.
“To trust God, because despite going through the things I went through, I realised that prayer changes your mind through how God functions,” Odhiambo told Radull Live.
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08:43 - 23.06.2023
ATHLETICS Greatest Kenyan athletes to fail the doping test
Africa's fastest man Ferdinand Omanyala and two-time world champion Asbel Kiprop are among the athletes.
“I keep telling people that this is the biggest thing that has happened to my career in the last six years because my mind was thinking about the next four years. The ban would have ended when I was 32 or 33, so I was pondering whether to quit or start coaching and more."
Otieno’s wife Stephanie has revealed the plan moving forwards, with qualification to the 2024 Olympics at the top of their priority list
“Because the qualification window ends on the midnight Mark’s suspension will end, he cannot qualify for Budapest or the All African Games," she said.
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15:40 - 19.07.2023
ATHLETICS Ferdinand Omanyala’s fiancée Laventa Amutavi makes ambitious quest for long jump excellence
Although she is training hard to emulate Omanyala in the 100 meter race category, Amutavi wishes to create a name for herself in the long-jump category.
“We are focusing on qualifying for the 2024 Olympics and we will be looking for races to take part in, in order to achieve the qualifying time needed to take part in the Paris games before the 2024 window shuts. The World Relays as well."
Otieno was one of Kenya’s most promising sprinters before the rise of Africa’s fastest man Ferdinand Omanyala.
Prior to his ban, Otieno had represented the country at the 2017, 2019, and 2021 World Athletics Relays.
He was also part of the team that represented Kenya at the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games and the 2017 World Championships in London. The 30-year-old was also part of Team Kenya at the 2015 All-Africa Games and the 2016 and 2019 African Championships.
With the Olympic Games scheduled for next year in Paris, France, Otieno might be eyeing a slot in Team Kenya as he begins his journey on a clean slate.
Otieno’s ban was originally scheduled to run until 2024, but after a successful appeal, it was reduced to two years.
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08:30 - 20.07.2023
ATHLETICS: What Eliud Kipchoge thinks of his GOAT status as fast rising Kelvin Kiptum looks to upset marathon hierarchy
Kiptum made his debut at the Valencia Marathon last year and ran the third-fastest time in the marathon to win the race.
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