Obiri, Kamworor lead chase for World Championships ticket
What you need to know:
- AK director of competitions Paul Mutwii said that the panel of sectors will decide on the third athlete to make the team
- The last time Cheptai represented Kenya was when she won the women’s World Cross Country title in Uganda in 2017
- Obiri is eying her fourth appearance at the World Championships
A battle of titans is in the offing on Wednesday when Athletics Kenya selects it men and women’s 10,000m teams for the World Championships slated for September 28 to October 6 in Doha, Qatar.
The women and men’s finals that will get underway at 8.30am and 9.10am respectively, will double up for the National Championships where the first two athletes across the line will make the team.
Athletics Kenya (AK) director of competitions Paul Mutwii said that the panel of sectors will decide on the third athlete to make the team.
Mutwii noted that seeding will also be done in the men’s final that has attracted over 50 athletes where there will be a cut off with the top 30 athletes making the battle.
National 5,000m champion Hellen Obiri has thrown down the gauntlet, this time around in 10,000m, which will be her second race ever over the distance after winning the Kenya Defence Forces title.
“I am well prepared to battle and run my own race,” said Obiri, who has so far won the Doha (3,000m) and London (5,000m) legs of the Diamond League this season.
“There is no pressure this being my second race over the distance since I have done enough in training and leave the rest to God,” explained Obiri, who is eying her fourth appearance at the World Championships.
Besides Obiri, who is the World 5,000m and World Cross Country champion, the women’s race has attracted creme de la crème over the distance.
The 2012 Africa 10,000m and 5,000m champion Gladys Cherono (Kenya Defence Forces), who is also the reigning Berlin Marathon champion and World Cross Country champions Agnes Jebet (2015) from Kenya Police and North Rift’s Irene Cheptai (2017) will be battling for places in the women’s team.
Cherono is also the 2014 World Half Marathon champion while Jebet won bronze at the 2017 World Championships in London.
It will be the second race for Cheptai since making a return from maternity leave, having won women’s 5,00m at North Rift Region. The last time Cheptai represented Kenya was when she won the women’s World Cross Country title in Uganda in 2017.
“I am glad to be back and hope for the best even though I am not in my best shape. I am really enjoying motherhood but I am meant for athletics,” said Cheptai.
It remains to be seen how the Commonwealth 10,000m silver medallist Stacy Ndiwa and Commonwealth 5,000m silver medallist Margaret Chelimo all of Kenya Police will handle the star-studded field that also has 2016 Africa 10,000m titleholder Alice Aprot from Kenya Prisons.
Sally Chepyego, who is in the marathon team for the World Championship, will use the race as a build-up with the likes of Sandra Chebet (South Rift), Gloria Kite (Nairobi) and Irene Kamais (KDF) out to rock the bigwigs.
The men’s race is another stellar cast featuring the usual protagonists; 2015 World 10,000m silver medallist Geoffrey Kamworor and three-time World 10,000m bronze medallist Paul Tanui, who are out to run the show.
Many are eager to see the return of 2008 Beijing Olympics 5,000m bronze medallist Edwin Soi and how Charles Mneria will handle the field after the disappointment of the 2016 Rio Olympics here he was moved from 10,000m to 5,000m.
However, these seasoned athletes face a big threat from upcoming talent that comprises World Under-20 10,000m champion Rhonex Kipruto and World Under-20 5,000m silver medallist Stanley Waithaka.
