Ekwam prays for dream debut at Kip Keino Classic

At the backdrop of a rain-drenched track, national 400metres champion Zablon Ekwam struck personal best in the 400m final during the trials for World Athletics Relays Championships 10 days ago at Nyayo National Stadium.

The 26-year-old Ekwam triumphed in 45.19 seconds, beating his previous best of 45.47 attained when he won the national 400m title at the same venue last year.

It’s a performance that catapulted Ekwam to 11th place in the world this year and on the cusp of beating the Paris Olympic Games qualifying standards of 45.00 seconds.

Ekwam hopes to improve that time further by hitting the right Olympic Games codes at the Absa Kip Keino Classic on Saturday at the Nyayo National Stadium.

It will be the first time Ekwam is competing at the Kip Keino Classic.

“My main focus for now is to strike that Olympic time so as to avoid the mathematics that goes with the world ranking,” said Ekwam, explaining that the huge improvement in his career best came with one race in the season.

“I have that time in my body and mind, and what I only need to do is put it on paper,” said Ekwam. “If I manage my career best in bad conditions then I feel something nice coming. I can’t tell if it will be at the Kip Keino Classic or another event.”

Ekwam said that getting a good event like the Kip Keino Classic where there is quality competition will help him run several sub 45 seconds this year before the Paris Olympic Games.

“I just need to stay focused and have a positive mind,” said Ekwam who had targeted to get the Olympics time at the Africa Games trials but wasn’t able to compete having just arrived on the eve of the trials on March 5 from the World Indoor Championships in Glasgow.

Ekwam’s 4x400m team settled fourth in the final at the world indoors.

Ekwam is the fifth fastest in the field but second fastest this season after Botswanan Bayap Ndori, who is the Africa 400m silver medallist.

The only other Kenyan in the race is the African Games mixed relay bronze medallist, Kennedy Kimeu Muthoki (45.51).

Ndori, who has personal best 44.61 also has bronze in 4x400m from Tokyo Olympics, gold in 4x400m from Africa Championships and silver from African Games 4x400m and 4x400m mixed relay.

Ndori will have company of fellow countrymen Leungo Scotch (44.82) and Tumo Statago Van Wyk (45.790.

Tokyo Olympics 4x400m gold medalist, Bryce Deadmon from United States of America, is the fastest in the field in 44.22 but has season’s best 45.20.  

Deadmon, 27, also has gold in 4x400m from the 2022 world championships and bronze in 4x400m mixed relay from Tokyo Olympics. Deadmon will be accompanied by fellow country man Daeqwan Butler (45.53).

World 4x400m silver medallist, Gilles Biron, who has personal best 45.05, will be hoping to start his season at the Kip Keino Classic.