Coaches’ fury as athletes turn AK races into farce

Coaches have urged for code of conduct to inject some seriousness in organisation and participation of Kenyan athletes in the New KCC sponsored track and field weekend meetings.

Speaking separately ahead of the fourth weekend meeting set for Kakamega’s Bukhungu stadium, the coaches who included head coach Julius Kirwa said it was evident during the third meeting held in Nakuru that some athletes treated the events casually.

In Nakuru many athletes who made it through the heats on the first day did not show up for the final. They include two-time world indoor 1500 metres silver medalists Daniel Kipchirchir Komen and the 2004 Athens Olympic steeple chase bronze medalist Paul Kipsiele Koech who did not show up for the1500m final.

It was worse for the 3000 metres steeple chase as almost all qualifiers did not show up forcing coach Peter Mathu to draft into the final race runners who did not participate in the heats.

Mathu said lack of seriousness in the weekend meeting programmes had in the past proved to be counterproductive in major events like Olympics where runners go through many heats before the final.

“Running through heats has been a major weakness for Kenya in major championships and AK (Athletics Kenya) and coaches should encourage athletes to use the weekend meetings to improve on that”, Mathu said

Will be blacklisted

Other coaches who have spoken out on this issure are Ibrahim Kinuthia of Kimbia Club of Nyahururu, Robert Kioni, Francis Kamau of Esmi club of Nyahururu and Coach Joseph Ngure of the IAAF/IOC High Performance Training Centre in Eldoret.

Kirwa hinted that those athletes who failed to turn up for finals or skipped heats but forced their way into the final will be blacklisted.

“We are going to be strict in Kakamega and will not allow such behaviour”, Kirwa said.

At the same time, Wworld 5,000m silver medallist Vivian Cheruiyot will launch her season on Friday in Kakamega during the Athletics Kenya track and field meeting .

Cheruiyot, who holds Kenya’s record in 5,000m race at 14:22.51 skipped the cross country season early in the year.

She broke the Kenyan 3000 metres indoor record (8:30.53) in Birmingham and won the World’s Best 10K race in Puerto Rico beating world half marathon champion Lornah Kiplagat. She returned to Kenya but has not raced since February.

But, the world silver medallist in the 12 lap race is keen to improve on her last performance in Osaka where she finished second in 14:58.50 behind Meseret Defar of Ethiopia (14:57.91).

She launches her season running in the shorter 1,500m race where she will be seeking to improve on her speed. Cheruiyot said that though the four lap race is not her speciality, she was keen to ascertain her preparedness and sprinting ability as the new season gains momentum.