Kimeli, Krop search for first major medal

Eugene, Oregon

The men’s 5000m final will be one of the two final boarding calls for Team Kenya to the podium before the Oregon World Athletics Championships wrap up in the early hours of Monday.

By Saturday morning, Kenya had won six medals with just one gold to show. But the East African athletics powerhouse is counting on the trio Nicholas Kimeli, Jacob Krop and Daniel Ebenyo for silverware.

The trio progressed through the Heats to reach the final of the 12-and-a-half-lap race at Hayward Field on Thursday.

Krop won Heat 2 comfortably in a time of 13 minutes and 13.30 seconds but Kimeli and Ebenyo each came sixth and advanced among the next five fastest.

Little matters now, the trio is in the final. “I thank God, this is my first time to be in the World Championship, I hope for the best,” Ebenyo said.

Fourth in the 3000m final at the World Indoor Championships in Belgrade, Serbia back in March, Ebenyo won 5000m silver at the Africa Senior Championships in Mauritius six weeks ago.

Kimeli's biggest honour is fourth place in the 5000m final at the Tokyo Olympics last year while Krop won the 5000m Africa U20 silver medal in Cote d’Ivoire three years ago.

On paper, these talents are yet to secure top silverware at the global stage, which is a motivation on its own. “I think at the end of the race, we will come back with something, just pray for us,” said Kimeli.

“I will work because I know my form is good because God is preparing me for more. My time will come and I think it is soon,” said Ebenyo.

Kenya has not won this world title since Benjamin Limo won it ahead of Ethiopian Sileshi Sihine and Australian Craig Mottram in Helsinki, Finland back in 2005.

And the last time that Kenya entered three names in this final, Caleb Mwangangi won silver behind Great Britain’s Mo Farah, Isiah Koech came eighth while Edwin Soi was 10th at the 2015 Beijing Worlds in China.

This time, Olympic champion Joshua Cheptegei of Uganda and Ethiopian Selemon Barega who won 10000m Olympic gold, are the men to watch.

Like Kenya, Ethiopia has three men with Barega being backed by defending champion Edris Muktar and Yomif Kejelcha, who won world 10000m silver in Doha, Qatar three years ago.

“In the final, it won’t be easy but we expect something good as Kenyans but the race will be very tough,” Krop, who finished sixth in Doha, acknowledged.

“I see it as a tactical race, it is going to be fast because everyone there is a top runner,” the 21-year-old added. Kejelcha however limped through the mixed zone on Thursday.

“It will be very tough because of the Ethiopians and other nationalities but I am sure we will beat them,” Kimeli said.

Kimeli is keen on not being blocked from the inside lane as it appeared in the Heats and together with counterparts, they surely must be motivated by Stanley Waithaka's bravery to pick a silver medal in the 10,000m final here in Eugene last Sunday.

The 15-man field represents nine countries including Canadian Mohammed Ahmed who took the bronze medal behind Muktar and Barega in Doha.

The rare spice in this contest will be Norwegian Jakob Ingebrigtsen. After winning the 1500m silver medal on Tuesday, the European record holder rallied on fans in a showcase of comfort as he came through in second place in Heat 2.

Ingebrigtsen’s speed could distort the tactics which the East Africans have prepared the evening's showdown. A highly-billed race is on cards!

Day 10 - Kenyans in action Monday

4:05am: Nicholas Kipkorir, Jacob Krop, Daniel Ebenyo (Men’s 5000m Final)

4:35am: Women’s 800m Final

Men's 5000m World Champions

2003 Saint-Denis: Eliud Kipchoge (KEN)

2005 Helsinki: Benjamin Limo (KEN)

2007 Osaka: Bernard Lagat (USA)

2009 Berlin: Kenenisa Bekele (ETH)

2011 Daegu: Mo Farah (GBR)

2013 Moscow: Mo Farah (GBR)

2015 Beijing: Mo Farah (GBR)

2017 London: Muktar Edris (ETH)

2019 Doha: Muktar Edris (ETH)

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