Vivian, Aprot and Saina target upset 10,000m win
After gambling with other disciplines for the past week, Kenyans hope for their first medal as the athletics programme gets underway at the Olympic Stadium here in Rio, Brazil this Friday.
Two finals are lined up and Kenyans will be banking on the women’s 10,000m trio and men’s walking race duo to deliver the first medals.
in the 10,000m, Vivian Cheruiyot leads the charge alongside Alice Aprot and USA based Betsy Saina.
However, all eyes will be on Vivian who has defied age and remains evergreen. She has also been Improving with time and a gold medal in the 25-lap race will be a befitting honour for the star. She has lived up to expectations of Kenyans ion the past and much is expected from her.
As usual the race has been a battle between two countries. Once again Kenya have to contend with Ethiopia.
Kenya’s northern neighbours will be represented by world leader Almaz Ayana, Tirunesh Dibaba and Gelete Burka.
Having finished third in the 2012 Olympic Games in London, Vivian will be keen to improve her performance. Nothing will make her happier than winning the gold medal. However, this will not come easy as she will be forced to work for it.
Ayana has displayed top form this season and will undoubtedly start favourite to win the race.
The two haven’t met and Friday meeting will be key test for both of them.
While Vivian is expected to capitalise on her experience to deliver results, Ayana will want to prove that her dominance throughout the season has not been a fluke.
Dibaba, who has dominated the event for close to a decade can not equally be ruled out so is Burka, who is a former 1500m runner.
Aprot is another rising star to watch having already won the Africa women’s 8km cross country and Africa 10,000m in Durban this year. Aprot is a powerful track runner and any gap will see her exploit the situation in a bid to enter the history books. Saina will equally be key in the Kenyan plot to bring down the Ethiopians.
Whatever happens either a Kenyan or an Ethiopia is tipped to win the race.
“we are ready for this race and we hope the weather will favour us,” said Vivian Cheruiyot.
