Kenya's women sprinters ready to rule Africa meet in Nigeria
Frome left: Team Kenya sprinters Eunice Kadogo, Fresha Mwangi and Joan Cherono after a training session on July 24, 2018 at Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani in preparation for the Africa Athletics Championships set for Asaba, Delta State, Nigeria. PHOTO | CHRIS OMOLLO |
What you need to know:
- Team Kenya out to shine at Delta State competition.
- While Kadogo, who is also the national 200m champion, and Cherono will double in 100m and 200m, Mwangi will only compete in 100m.
- The trio will represent Kenya in 4 x100m where they will be joined by Millicent Ndoro.
Kenya’s 100 metres trio of African Games silver medallist Eunice Kadogo, national champion Joan Cherono and Fresha Mwangi are out to take the continental by storm when Africa Athletics Championships go down in Asaba, Nigeria, next week.
The National Police Service officers are not only focusing on finishing on the podium but also improve their personal best times in the championships that run from August 1 to 5 in the Delta State city.
While Kadogo, who is also the national 200m champion, and Cherono will double in 100m and 200m, Mwangi will only compete in 100m.
The trio will represent Kenya in 4 x100m where they will be joined by Millicent Ndoro.
Kadogo, who hails from Bungoma, wants to make Asaba memorable when she makes her third appearance for Kenya while Cherono termed this year as her period of great revelation, having won her maiden national title.
Mwangi said an injury cost her a good show in 2016 Durban hence must cash on her good form and shape this time around to rock in Asaba.
Kadogo, 24, settled for silver in 100m at the 2015 African Games with a national record time of 11.47 seconds and went on to reach the 200m final where she finished seventh in 23.83.
She had clocked personal best 23.64 in the semis.
Kadogo, who won the national 100m and 200m titles in 2015 and 2016, reached the semi-finals of her 100m and 200m races at the 2016 Africa Championships in Durban South Africa.
Compatriot Maximilla Imali broke Kadogo’s 100m national record time of 11.47 when she won Kenya Police Championships in 11.38 on June 14 at Kasarani.
"I want to reclaim my national 100m record and improve my personal best in 200m," said Kadogo, 24.
"My speed, take off from the blocks and finishing power have improved and I am good to go."
Kadogo, whose ultimate goal is to qualify for 2019 Doha World Championships and 2020 Tokyo Olympics, embraced athletics while in class five at Mwiyenga Primary School in Bungoma from where she completed her primary school education in 2009.
She won the National Primary Schools Championships’ 100m and 200m titles in 2008 and 2009 before joining Mwiyenga Secondary where she won the National and East Africa Secondary Schools titles in 2012 and 2013.
The 27-year-old Cherono, who hails from Bomet, said she has lots of expectations in Asaba, having healed the injury that cost her good show at Gold Coast Commonwealth Games where she reached the semis in 200m.
"I have worked hard on my endurance that was my major problem," said Cherono, who thanked God and her coach Peninah Talam for making it happen.
Cherono also took up athletics at primary School in Bomet, winning the nationals 100m and 200m titles in 2007 while a candidate.
Cherono went on to win the National Secondary Schools 100m and 200m titles in 2010 and 2011 while at St Lawrence Secondary School, Nairobi. She is yet to win Police titles with Kadogo and Imali dominating the last four years.
