AK sweat over Club Games team selection
PHOTO | CHRIS OMOLLO Mercy Cherono in action during Athletics Kenya Sprints and Relays 4-by-1500m finals on April 26, 2014. The controversy over the selection of athletes to represent Kenya at the Commonwealth Games is regrettable.
What you need to know:
- Rome Diamond League complicates Kenyan elite athletes’ participation in the national trials
- Panel of selectors to pick team to Commonwealth and Africa Championships
Athletics Kenya is caught between a rock and a hard place over the selection of Team Kenya for the Commonwealth Games and Africa Championships.
Even though AK has reverted to hosting both the National Championships and trials from June 5 to 7, the Vice President in charge of administration, competitions and international affairs, David Okeyo said a panel of selectors will have the final say on who makes the team.
Okeyo indicated that things have been complicated by the Rome Diamond League, due June 5, and the requirement by the National Olympic Committee of Kenya (Nock) to submit Team Kenya for the “Club” Games on June 12.
AK had initially slated the National Championships for June 5-6 and Trials for the Commonwealth and Africa contests for June 7.
'STILL COMPLICATED'
The Commonwealth Games will be held from July 23 to August 3 in Glasgow, Scotland, and the Africa Championships, where the continental team will be named for the World Cup, from August 10-14 in Marrakech, Morocco.
“We have seen it’s not viable for the athletes to run in Rome on June 5 and make it for the Trials, especially those competing in 5,000m,” said Okeyo.
“We have considered having most of the finals on June 7, but it’s still complicated.”
Okeyo said that they will now resort to the panel of selectors to pick Team Kenya but insisted that the Nationals-cum-Trials will go on as scheduled without the athletes who will be in Rome.
SELECTION CRITERIA
Okeyo said it will now be important for athletes who will be in Rome and those in Nairobi for the Nationals and Trials to post good time since that is where the selectors will base the selection from.
“We are still exploring on the events that will not be affected by Rome Diamond League. We will hold trials for such events while the selectors will handle the rest based on the athletes’ times,” said Okeyo.
In Rome, Kenyan’s elite male athletes will compete in 1,500m, 800m and 3,000m steeplechase while female runners have entered 800m and 5,000m events.
“Kenya has 23 elite athletes at the Rome event. We can’t bar them from competing since they have signed contracts with the organisers and absconding would attract a ban,” said Okeyo.
