Kitwara is favourite for half marathon team
Sammy Kitwara gave Athletics Kenya panel of selectors a headache ahead of Wednesday’s naming of the national team to the World Half Marathon championship in Birmingham, England on October 11.
Kitwara, who was bundled out of the Kenya team to Berlin World Championship for running in a race in Atlanta without AK sanction, blazed his way to a 58:58 victory at the Rotterdam Half-Marathon on Sunday.
The 22-year-old policeman performance makes him the fourth fastest ever and the sixth man to dip under the 59-minute barrier. It was Kitwara’s second major half marathon victory in The Netherlands in the past six months. In March he won the City-Pier-City half marathon in The Hague, beating the king of road racing Haile Gebrselassie into second place.
‘I’m not afraid of anybody, not even Samuel Wanjiru,” said Kitwara
AK secretary general David Okeyo confirmed that Kitwara and other top seven Kenyan who won in Rotterdam have left them mesmerised on who to pick for the trip to Birminham where the country will be out to defend its team title and secure an individual title from the grasp of Eritrean Zersenay Tedesse.
“It is not really a headache. But the selectors have a tough job to pick the best five. The performance confirms that Kenya is a powerhouse in the event and favourite to win in Birmingham. The selectors meet on Wednesday to select the final team,” said Okeyo.
However, AK will first have to talk to the respective athletes today before naming the team.
“Some might be tired and need a rest. So we will have to talk to them first. But even those who were in Rio de Jenairo last year are also still in contention,” he said.
With consistencuy and individual performance to be used as the yardstick, Okeyo confirmed Kitwara has an advantage. In Rotterdam on Sundya, Kitwara bettered the previous course record of 59:12 was set by Evans Kiprop Cheruiyot two years ago. On the fast flat course the first six finishers all clocked personal bests over the 21km distance dipping under the one hour mark.
Behind Kitwara two other Kenyans, Jonathan Maiyo and James Kwambai, battled it out for second with Maiyo prevailing in 59:08. Kwambai, second at the Rotterdam marathon in April (2:04:27) winner Duncan Kibet, took third place in 59:09.
