Africa Military Games 400metres medallist, Boniface Mweresa, and Mercy Oketch want to leave memorable moments at their Ulinzi Sports Complex backyard at this year’s Absa Kip Keino Classic on Saturday.
They might have qualified with the men’s 4x400m and 4x400m mixed relay teams for the World Athletics Championships set for Tokyo in September, but the Kenya Defence Force duo want to strike the 400m qualifying standards at the Kip Keino.
Mweresa, who is making a return at the Kip Keino Classic after missing out last year due to an injury, finished fifth in 2022 and fourth in 2023.
The 31-year-old is fresh from guiding the 4x400m team of Kelvin Tonui, Zablon Ekwam and Kevin Kipkorir to fifth place in a new National Record at the World Athletics Relays Championships held on May 10 and 11 in Guangzhou, China.
Even though Mweresa is currently ranked 62nd and in pole position of qualifying for the world championships, he wants to avoid the calculations by attaining the qualifying standards of 44.85 seconds.
If successful, it will be the third time Mweresa, the 2023 national 200m champion, will make it to the world event after 2017 London and 2023 Budapest.
“I am confident of making it after changing my training program,” said Mweresa, explaining that he initially started his season with speed endurance before adjusting to speed training.
“I realised I was prone to injuries and didn’t pick up on time. I am now doing power training, speed then speed endurance,” said Mweresa, who has personal best 44.96 from the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games.
“I think I am like fine wine now maturing with age,” said Mweresa, who won the 2024 Africa Military Games 400m champion.
Oketch, the 2024 Africa Military Games 400m silver medallist, said that apart from going to recapture the 400m title she won in 2023, her target is to qualify for the World Athletics Championships scheduled for September 13 to 21 in Tokyo, Japan.
Mercy Oketch competes wins the 400m final during World Athletics Relay Trials on April 12, 2025 at Nyayo National Stadium.
Photo credit: Chris Omollo | Nation Media Group
Oketch anchored the 4x400m mixed relays team of David Sanayek, Mercy Chebet and Brian Tinega to bronze medal at the world relays.
“I will want to run sub-50 seconds at the Kip Keino Classic,” said Oketch, who is also focused on breaking the national 400m record of 50.38 seconds held by the world 800m champion Mary Moraa. “I ran 49.77 splits during the relay final and I hope to replicate that.”
Even though Oketch made Kenya’s 4x400m mixed relay at the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary where the team lost in the preliminary round, she is yet to feature in the flat race.
Oketch, who has career best 51.64 has been working on her starts and curves to improve on her time. "I want to take off the black swiftly and take the curves with good speed," said the 22-year-old Oketch.
The sprinter had taken a break from athletics to proceed for Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) to Recruit Training School (RTS) where she graduated in May last year just on time for the Africa Military Games in November where she secured silver in 55.43.
“I want to announce that I am back and ready, already rolling with a purpose and with fresh goals set for the season. The bronze from world relays is a great motivation,” said Oketch.
