Sprints coach Stephen Mwaniki believes the Kenyan relay teams have what it takes to qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.
The team will have to qualify at the World Relay Championships in Nassau, Bahamas, on May 4-5 to make it to the Paris Games slated for July 26 – August 11.
Only the top 14 teams in the world make it to Paris and Mwaniki believes previous unsuccessful attempts for global apperances left them with crucial lessons.
“We have learnt from our mistakes at the 2023 World Championships in Budapest and we are looking forward to the Bahamas show. We only need to finish in the top-14 to qualify for the Olympics,” Mwaniki said.
The men’s 4x100m team is ranked 12th in a time of 38.26 while the 4x400m is ranked 13th in a time of 3:01.41. The mixed relay team is placed 18th in a time of 3:14.71.
A total of 32 national teams are expected in Bahamas where 20 races await in two days of competition.
Times at any stage of the competition will be considered for Paris. Budapest was a learning curve for the national team squad and Mwaniki hopes to build on this.
It is here that the team earned their slot for the Bahamas championships.
Other African team expected in Bahamas are Botswana, South Africa, Nigeria, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
“Of course, teams like Britain and Poland will pose a huge threat in the competition. We are also wary of African teams like Botswana, Nigeria and South Africa,” he noted.
At the last edition of the World Relay Championships held in 2021 in Silesia, Poland, Team Kenya finished third overall with 24 points — 13 behind winners Poland and nine behind second-placed Italy.
The selection for the relay team will be conducted during the third Athletics Kenya (AK) track and field meeting at the Nyayo Stadium this weekend.
There are plans to invite teams from the neighboring countries like Ethiopia and Uganda.
