Faith Kipyegon leads middle distance athletes to Olympics

We have done our best in training, and what remains is to implement our strategy in Paris. 

That is the message from multiple Olympics and world champion, Faith Kipyegon to Kenyans as the first batch of Team Kenya’s middle and long distance athletes prepares to leave for Paris tomorrow for the 2024 Olympic Games.

Team Kenya’s middle and long distance athletes have been camping in Eldoret, Uasin Gishu County, and at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani in Nairobi,  and some of them will leave for Paris Monday.

On Saturday, Kipyegon said their training programme has gone according to plan, and the athletes were injury-free.

“We have done our part in terms of training, with the support from our coaches and what now remains is to go out there and compete well. We are aware of the tough competition out there,”  the two-time 1,500m Olympics champion said.

She asked Kenyans to remember them in prayer as they head to Paris.

Team Kenya athletes based in Eldoret will link up with those who have been training in Nairobi Monday at midday,  just in time for the evening flight to Paris.

Kenya women’s 800 metres team of world champion, Mary Moraa, Africa Games silver medalist Lilian Odira, and Vivian Chebet, who have been training in Nairobi are among the athletes who will travel Sunday night.They will compete in the preliminaries on Friday from  8.45am (Kenyan time) as they seek to qualify for the semi-finals programmed for August 4.

Also leaving for Paris Monday are men’s 1,500m runners,  2019 world champion Timothy Cheruiyot, reigning World Athletics Under-20 Championship winner Reynold Cheruiyot, and newcomer Brian Komen.

Kenya has a good track record in the 1,500m race, having won four gold medals in the past through Kipchoge Keino at the Mexico City games in 1968, Peter Rono at the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games, and Noah Ngeny at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games.

Cheruiyot has been training in Nairobi, while Komen and Reynold have been sharpening their skills at the High Performance Training Centre in Eldoret.

The trio is expected to compete in the first round on Friday as they seek to progress all the way to the finals.

“We have finished our training programme, and as we head to the Olympic Games, our main aim is to make sure we all work hard and get to the final. I believe teamwork is key to getting any kind of medal out there,”  Komen told Nation Sport.

Two-time 1,500m Olympics champion Kipyegon, who is also the world record holder in women’s 5,000m, the 10,000m world record holder Beatrice Chebet, and the 2019 world 5,000m silver medalist Margaret Chelimo will also travel to Paris  tonight ahead of their assignment in the 5,000m race.

Each of the three will compete in two different races. Kipyegon will compete in the 5,000m and 1,500m races, while Chebet and Chelimo will each compete in the 5,000m and the 10,000m races. The first round of women’s 5,000m competition will take place on Friday at 7.10pm.

Also travelling Monday are Bernard Kibet, Daniel Mateiko and Nicholas Kimeli who will compete men’s 10,000m final on Friday at 10.20pm.

The three will be seeking to win gold medal in men’s 10,000m that has eluded Kenya since 1968 when Naftali Temu won the race for Kenya at the Mexico City games.

World record holder in women’s 3,000m steeplechase, Beatrice Chepkoech, will also travel tomorrow, while her teammates - Commonwealth Games champion Jackline Chepkoech and World Athletics Under-20 champion in the distance, Faith Cherotich will leave on Tuesday.

Team Kenya’s deputy head of delegation,  Barnaba Korir who visited the team yesterday at Kipchoge Keino Stadium in Eldoret during their final training, said the athletes are in high spirits.

“The athletes have have enjoyed the training sessions here and going by their programme, they have assured us they will do their best. The first group will travel to Nairobi on Monday ahead of their departure for Paris that evening, and we trust that they will  well,” said Korir.