Why Karoki, Mateelong are worried ahead of World Championships
Nicholas Kimeli (left) celebrates after winning the men's 10,000m ahead of Daniel Simiu during the Kenyan trials for the World Championships at Nyayo Stadium on July 7, 2023.
What you need to know:
- He is of the opinion that probable athletes should be identified early so that by the time the trials are held, the athletes are in good shape.
The road to the World Championships in Budapest, Hungary is on and athletes mean business at the Nyayo National Stadium in Nairobi where the Kenyan trials are underway.
Nicholas Kimeli might have won the 10,000 metres final to punch a ticket to Budapest, but the task that awaits him and the team that Athletics Kenya selectors pick for the event is one that no one wishes to face.
Kimeli clocked 27:29.8 for victory ahead of Daniel Simiu (27:30.5) while Benard Kibet (27:33.5) was third.
Simiu is yet to attain the qualifying standard time of 27:10.00 set by World Athletics to compete in Budapest, but he can attain the qualification mark based on his superior ranking (he currently lies in 25th place).
But things could get worse for Simiu because countries around the world are still staging their qualifier championships. Athletes ranked 27th or better at close of qualifying period on July 30 will compete in Budapest.
Athletics Kenya’s selection criteria is that the first two athletes across the line at the national trials will qualify for Budapest, and a panel of selectors will decide the third member of the team.
The fate of Kibet, who finished third on Friday, now lies with AK’s panel of selectors.
He attained the qualifying standard in finishing second at the 299th Nippon Sport Science University Long Distance Competition 10km in 26:55.04 in October last year.
World Half Marathon Championships silver medalist, Kibiwott Kandie, who finished fourth in 27:47.3 on Friday, also presents another selection headache challenge to selectors.
Kandie, the national 10,000m champion, has attained the qualifying standard by virtue of finishing fourth at the World Cross Country Championships in February, and coming second at Adizero Road to Records 10km in 26:53.
In winning the 2022 Brasov Running Festival 10km race in Romania in 26:51 as well as in finishing 13th at the 2023 World Cross Country Championships, Kimeli has qualified to compete in Budapest.
The top 15 athletes from the World Cross Country Championships qualify to be selected for Budapest.
Men’s 10,000m team will be named on Saturday as Kenya hopes to recapture the world title it last won in 2001 through Charles Kamathi.
Last year, Stanley Waithaka settled for silver behind Uganda’s Joshua Cheptegei who won gold with another Ugandan Jacob Kiplimo finishing third.
At the Nyayo National Stadium's terraces on Friday was Bedan Karoki, who finished fourth at the London World Championships in 2017, who was watching the unfolding events.
“We tried our best during our track days to go for the gold medal but it was hard but we always pushed hard to make sure we didn't miss a position in the podium," Karoki explained.
The Japan-based Karoki said that the sport has really changed and athletes going forward should think of running together and make sure they plan the race well because countries like Ethiopia and Uganda have always done that.
“Get someone who has speed and let him run from the front at the same time controlling the pace and the two athletes should run in the middle and they must have finishing power because the last lap is normally crazy," he offered.
“That’s what we used to do and I remember competing with Geoffrey Kamworor and Paul Tanui and we had to sit and plan for the race because we knew athletes from Ethiopia had the same plan. Our athletes are good and they just work on the technical part and the gold will be home,” added Karoki.
Former Commonwealth Games 3,000m steeplechase champion Richard Mateelong, now a police officer based in Subukia, Nakuru County, is also worried that Kenya might not perform well in Budapest.
Matelong said that Athletics Kenya in conjunction with the Ministry of Sports should start preparations now for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
He is of the opinion that probable athletes should be identified early so that by the time the trials are held, the athletes are in good shape.
“We have to change our tradition and have Team Kenya selected early and go to camp for vigorous training. I remember in the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, we went early enough to the camp and we managed to win 16 medals (six gold, four silver and six bronze),” recalls Mateelong, winner of the 2008 Beijing Games bronze.
He also said that the federation needs to invest in the junior programmes.
