• "We will use the South African meet to improve our rankings," Mwaniki said.
• The top 32 teams will feature at the World Relay Championships in Nassau, Bahamas, on May 4-5.
Image: TEDDY MULEI
Coach Stephen Mwaniki wants Kenyan sprinters to maintain their top-32 ranks at the ASA Grand Prix in South Africa on March 28.
The men's 4x100m and 4x400m relay teams are ranked 18th and 22nd respectively while the mixed relay quartet is ranked 19th.
The top 32 teams will feature at the World Relay Championships in Nassau, Bahamas, on May 4-5.
"We will use the South African meet to improve our rankings," Mwaniki said.
He emphasised the need to push the women's 4x400m team. The National Police Service are ranked 50th (3:36.16) while the national team is five slots lower (3:36.88).
However, Mwaniki said they are operating under 'controlled pressure' even as he took the athletes through the paces at Nyayo Stadium on Thursday morning.
"Both coaches and athletes are under pressure. But this is controlled pressure. If we don't make it in South Africa then we won't book a ticket to the Bahamas showdown," Mwaniki quipped.
The top eight teams at the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary, gained automatic qualification to the World Relays alongside the host country.
The remaining 24 teams will be determined after the conclusion of the qualification window (January 1, 2023 to April 7, 2024).
The top 14 teams in each event in the Bahamas will qualify for the Olympics in Paris.
Mwaniki also stated: "We are timing the athletes. We want to know which athletes are ready to run in what categories."
Mwaniki is working with 17 athletes under a National Olympic Committee of Kenya programme featuring 4x100m (men), 4x400m (men), 4x400m (women) and the mixed relay teams.
Meanwhile, athletes representing the country at the ongoing African games in Accra will not be considered for the ASA championships but could feature in the Bahamas should the teams deliver.
"Those in Accra have already done their national duties. They will join us in two weeks when we bring the teams together after South Africa," said Mwaniki.
After South Africa, the team will head to Miramas, France, for 2-3 weeks of specialised training and travel to the United States for the Penn Relays in Philadelphia, on April 25-27.
Mwaniki hopes to repay Nock and Athletics Kenya's support by qualifying sprinters for the Olympic Games.
"Nock and AK have come out to ensure sprinters qualify for the Olympics. We appreciate what they are doing," Mwaniki remarked.
Team captain Mike Mokamba said: "Training has been good with AK and Noc-K very supportive. This support will be key as we seek to lower our times in South Africa."
"We are working on baton handling, the most important aspect of relay running."
Former rugby player turned sprinter Tyson Juma, expects to deliver a masterstroke down south.
"The support from AK and NOC-K has been immense. We will produce a big performance in South Africa, no doubt," Juma noted.