Athletics Kenya bungled in team selection, says Benjamin Limo
What you need to know:
- Mwangangi finished sixth in 13:26.63 in a slow first semi-final. Muneria settled a distant 12th in the semi in 13:30.95.
- Limo said the selection criteria was also in question after Muneria, who could have easily suited in 10,000m, was brought to 5,000m.
For the first time since Kenya first participated at the Olympics at 1956 Melbourne Summer Games, none of its athletes will feature in the men’s 5,000m final at the Rio Games on Saturday.
Many Kenyans watched in horror as 2015 World 5,000m silver medallist Caleb Mwangangi - who is also the Commonwealth champion - 2013 World 5,000m bronze medallist Isaiah Kiplangat and Africa Cross Country bronze medallist Charles Muneria failed to go past the semi-finals on Wednesday.
Mwangangi finished sixth in 13:26.63 in a slow first semi-final. Muneria settled a distant 12th in the semi in 13:30.95.
Kiplangat finished 12th in the second semi-final, clocking 13:25.15. Kenyans had high hopes especially on Mwangangi to secure a podium place by virtue of having pushed double Olympic champion Mo Farah at the World Championships last year.
In the end, it was all disappointment as the nation came to terms with the lackadaisical show. Former athletes and analysist blamed it on selection criteria, lack of strategy, enthusiasm and shape.
John Ngugi, the only Kenyan to have won the 5,000m Olympic title at the 1988 Seoul Games, said: “They all looked heavy and out of shape,” said Ngugi, adding that the gains in training at high altitude seems to have been eroded after the team left to Rio much early.
“Training in Kenya and Rio definitely changed and it needs great discipline and experience especially with the kind of food at the athletes’ village.” Ngugi, the first man to win five World Cross Country titles, also took issue with the athletes for lacking the fighting spirit.
“They didn’t need to win the race but just aim to finish among top five, which should really be a routine for Kenyans,” said a disappointed Ngugi. “It seems coaches were not in control here.”
The 2005 Helsinki World 5,000m champion Benjamin Limo noted that even though the 5,000m semi-finals are the hardest compared to the final, the Kenyans lacked strategy.
“You could see they were not psychologically prepared,” said Limo. “That is not the Mwangangi I have known in the last two years. Something must have happened between the trials and Rio,” said Limo, adding that it was strange to see Kiplangat, who is a front runner, tagging himself at the back of the pack.
Limo said the selection criteria was also in question after Muneria, who could have easily suited in 10,000m, was brought to 5,000m.
“Muneria simply looked tactless and I can forgive him since 10,000m and 5,000m races are quite different,” said Limo. “The selectors bungled our chances.”
