Kenyan team to the 2026 World Athletics Indoor Championships at the Kujawsko-Pomorska Arena in Toruń, Poland.
The three-day 2026 World Athletics Indoor Championships begins tomorrow at the Kujawsko-Pomorska Arena in Toruń, Poland.
Some 674 athletes representing 118 countries will vie for top honours at the biennial event, first held in Indianapolis in 1987.
Nation Sports takes a look at the eight athletes, with an average age of 24.25, who will represent Kenya:
■Jacob Krop (men’s 3,000m)
Jacob Krop of Kenya competes in the men's 5000m heats on day seven of the World Athletics Championships Oregon22 at Hayward Field on July 21, 2022 in Eugene, Oregon.
The 24-year-old trains in Siyoi. He showed his potential when he won the 5,000m silver medal at the 2019 African Under-20 Championships aged 17. As a senior, he won the 5,000m silver medal at the 2022 World Athletics Championships. He started the season with a second-place finish in the 3,000m race at the Karlsruhe Indoor Meeting in Germany on February 8, with a time of 7:38.64. He followed that with another runner-up finish at the Hauts-de-France Indoor Meeting, with a faster time of 7:34.68 and looks in good form to challenge for a podium finish.
■Brian Tinega (men’s 400m)
Brian Tinega.
The 23-year-old first-year student at Texas Tech University in the US is in the form of his life. He ran a blistering 400m national record of 45.68 at the Big 12 Indoor Track & Field Championship held at the Sports Performance Centre, Lubbock, in the US on February 28, earning his ticket to the World Indoors. He holds a personal best of 44.67 in the 400m on the long track, set on June 27 last year. He may have to produce such times to stand a chance of making the final.
■Mercy Oketch (women’s 400m)
Mercy Oketch celebrates after winning the 400m race during the Absa Kip Keino Classic at the Ulinzi Sports Complex on May 31, 2025.
Aged 23, the reigning Kenyan champion has been in fine fettle. She broke the Kenyan record thrice, the last time at the Meeting Metz Moselle Athlélor Crédit Mutuel, L'Anneau-Halle d'athlétisme de Metz in France on February 6 with a searing 51.53. Based in Kenya, she has emerged as the hottest female runner in the country over the distance and holds a personal best time of 50.14 in 400m set on May 31 last year when winning the Kip Keino Classic. She is ranked 26th, indoors in the world this season.
■Noah Kibet (men’s 800m)
Kenya's Noah Kibet wins the men's 800m heat during the World Under-20 Athletics Championships at Kasarani on August 19, 2021.
For a 21-year-old, he packs plenty of experience. He won the 800m silver medal at the 2022 Belgrade World Indoor Championships and will certainly be looking to upgrade. He holds a personal best of 1:44.83 set on May 18, 2024 and 1:44.98 (short track) set on February 11, 2023, in 800m. He is ranked 29th this season in indoor athletics over the distance.
■Gladys Chepngetich (women’s 800)
Gladys Chepngetich, undergraduate student at Clemson University in South Carolina, during a past competition.
The red-hot Clemson University student is fresh from winning the NCAA Indoor Championships women’s 800m and is a genuine prospect for gold as she eyes the title Mary Moraa won in 2023. The 24-year-old holds the Kenyan indoor record over the distance of 1:58.81, supplanting the great Pamela Jelimo (who is, incidentally, the head coach of Team Kenya). A versatile runner who can run 600m and 400m, she was a late inclusion to the team and will want to return the favour.
■Rosemary Longisa (women’s 800m)
Rosemary Longisa.
She recovered from a stumble on the home stretch to finish second in the Women’s 1 Mile at the NCAA Indoor Championships. With a personal best time of 1:59.71 set on February 14, she was no doubt working on her endurance before her sojourn to Europe. She holds the 26th fastest time this season and at 20, is a fine, young prospect.
■Susan Ejore (women’s 1,500m)
Susan Lokayo Ejore.
At 30 years old, she is the eldest member of the team and certainly the most experienced. Based in Flagstaff, Arizona, in the US, she finished fifth in 1,500m at the 2025 Nanjing Indoor Championships. She holds a personal best time of 3:56.07 set on August 10, 2024. Ranked 15th in the world over the distance, she will fancy her chances in Poland.
■Festus Lagat (men’s 1,500m)
Ranked 15th in the world, he could be a handful in Poland. The 29-year-old owns an impressive personal best time of 3:29.03 over the distance, set on June 20 last year. He qualified for the World Indoors after running 3:35.20 at the Millrose Games, Armoury Track & Field Centre, in New York on February 1.
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