Kiprop to star at Kenya Police championships

Star athletes will be on parade at the Kenya Police Service Athletics Championships, which begin on Thursday at Safaricom Stadium Kasarani.

World 1,500m champion Asbel Kiprop, who blew the new tartan track at the Kipchoge Keino Stadium part with an explosive performance in 800m during the Athletics Kenya final track and field meet last weekend, will compete in his speciality.

Kiprop, who ran 1 min: 45.20 seconds in the heats before posting a world leading time of 1:44.60 in his semi-final, did not take part in the finals.

The athlete is part of a strong Presidential Escort Unit squad, which also includes the Olympics and world 3,000m steeplechase champion Ezekiel Kemboi and world 1,500m silver medallist Elijah Manangoi.

Kemboi will compete in the 3,000m steeplechase but Manangoi will go for 800m. The two-lap specialist Jeremiah Mutai and George Kwoba will compete in the 400m race. Kiprop, Manangoi, Kwoba and Mutai will form the 4x400m relay team.

Kiprop, who has a personal best of 3:26.69, has hinted about breaking the 1,500m world record of 3:26.00 before going to the Rio Olympic Games in August.

“It’s possible to break the record, but training for it isn’t easy,” said Kiprop, who ran his PB in Monaco in July last year.

“When I remember some of the intensive workouts I did last year, I feel a little bit afraid to do them again,” said Kiprop.

SHAPE UP FOR VICTORY

He said some of the perfect sprits in training, change in lifestyle and commitment saw him improve his PB.

“I don’t regret last year’s training because that helped me shape up for victory at the Beijing World Championships,” said Kiprop, who is eying victory in 1,500m when the Diamond League begins in Doha on May 6.

World 10,000m silver medallist Geoffrey Kwamworor will fight it out in the 5,000m race where he is up against the 2016 World Indoor 3,000m bronze medallist Augustine Choge.

It’s left to be seen whether world 400m hurdles champion Nicholas Bett will compete in his speciality or if he will square it out in the 400m flat after he won his 400m hurdles heat in 51.8 in Eldoret but withdrew from the final.

World javelin champion Julius Yego, who threw 78.86 in Eldoret, will represent Directorate of Criminal Investigation in the field event. 

Fresh from winning her two-lap race in Eldoret in 2:03.20, world 800m bronze medallist Eunice Sum will be at it again, while world 10,000m champion Vivian Cheruiyot will do battle in 1,500m where Commonwealth 5,000m champion Mercy Cherono is expected to feature.

World 3,00m steeplechase champion Hyvin Kiyeng and African Games 5,000m champion Margaret Chelimo will face off in the 5,000m.