Kenyan juniors aim to finish on a high

The 20th edition of the World Athletics Under-20 Championships enters the penultimate day in Lima, Peru, with Kenyan youngsters looking to finish on a high.

As of Friday, Kenya had won a total of three medals at the biennial age-group global championship; one gold, one silver and one bronze medal, which pales in comparisson to 10 medals; three gold, three silver, and four bronze which the country won in the 2022 edition held in Cali, Colombia.

Only athletes aged 19 and below on December 31 of the year of the competition are eligible to compete.

Tonight, all eyes will be on Mary Nyaboke, a Form Four student at St Peters Keberesi High School in Kisii County, as she competes in the final of women’s 1,500m at the 6,000-seater Estadio Atlético de la Videna in Lima.

Kenya’s other representatives in the race is Miriam Chemutai Kibet, a Form Two student at Kalyet Secondary School in Kericho County. The two will compete in the final shortly after midnight. Yesterday, Nyaboke spoke of her joy in reaching the final, and the tough task that awaits her in the final.

“As is normally the case with championships, it was tough qualifying for the final race, but the hardest part remains the last part. Almost everyone who qualified for the final looks strong and capable of winning. It will need a good strategy to win,” she said.

She hopes to use the championship to launch her career, and to announce herself to the world.

“It is the first time for me to compete in a championship of this magnitude but having reached the final, I stand a chance of winning it just like everyone else. I want to use this championship to launch my athletics career,” she said.

“It is tough for everyone, and the other athletes look equally good, but we shall try to run as a team in the final, then fight to be on the podium,” Nyaboke added.

Nyaboke and Chemutai will come up against strong challenge from Ethiopian’s Saron Berhe and Tsige Teshome.

Ethiopia’s Birke Haylom won gold medal at the 2022 edition of the championships held in Colombia ahead of Kenya’s Brenda Chebet who claimed silver, and bronze Purity Chepkirui, also from Kenya.

In men’s 3,000m steeplechase final, Africa Senior Athletics Championships silver medalist, Edmund Serem of Kenya, will team up with his fellow countryman Mathew Kosgei.

Other than team ambitions, Serem will be out to follow in his elder brother Amos Serem’s footsteps in Lima.

Amos won the title when Kenya hosted the 2021 World Athletics Under-20 Championship at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani. As he competes today, he will be out to ensure the title remains in Kenya despite the stiff competition expected to come from Ethiopia’s Hailu Ayalew, Hosea Chemutai of Uganda, among others.

“We have to bring back the 3,000m steeplechase gloryto Kenya. As we line up for the final race, we shall be competing as a team. We have not done well in the senir category, but want to make our country proud once again over the distance, starting with our category,” Edmund said on phone yesterday from Lima.

Meanwhile, Kenya yesterday won silver and bronze medals through Denis Kipkoech (3,000m) and Diana Chepkemoi (3,000m steeplechase) respectively in Lima.

Kipkoech crossed the line in eight minutes, and 20.79 seconds behind Norway’s Andreas Fjeld Halvorsen won gold medal in 8:20.56. Edward Bird from Great Britain took bronze in 8:21.00.

In the women’s 3,000m steeplechase race, Chepkemoi timed 9:29.84 for third place behind winner Sembo Almayew (9:12.71) of Ethiopia. Uganda’s Loice Chekwemoi settled for silver medal in 9:18.84.

In an interview, Chepkemoi said that she was happy to have bagged a bronze medal after good preparations terming the competition as a tough one.

“I want to thank God for the medal I won. It was not an easy race but I did my best and I would like to thank my coaches at the residential camp and also my coach back at home Paul Kemei for the support,” said Chepkemoi who trains under Lemotit Athletics Club in Londiani, Kericho County.