Three-time world 1500m champion Asbel Kiprop and two-time world cross country champion Geoffrey Kamworor lead the onslaught at the National Police Athletic Championships at the Nyayo Stadium tomorrow.
Police normally fields the highest number of athletes for the Team Kenya to World Championships and Olympic Games and tomorrow’s action will no doubt be a replica of the fierce competition always exhibited by the law enforcers.
The runners will be gunning for slots to the national championships and eventually the national trials ahead of this year’s IAAF World Championships set for London in August.
Kamworor, who is also the world half marathon champion, will be dropping from his 5000m and 10,000m specialties to the 1500m race where he will be up against Asbel and world silver medallist Elijah Manangoi.
Asbel, a former Olympic champion, will be running his first local race this season while Manangoi is returning home after setting a world leading time of 3:31.90 at the Diamond League series opener in Doha on May 5.
After a poor show at the Rio Olympics last year, Asbel and Kamworor’s top priority will be to at least be among the medallists in their specialties come the London championships.
Snubbed in the Team Kenya to the World Relays Championships in Bahamas last month despite a stellar performance, Job Kinyor erects to the newly-laid Nyayo Sadium track seeking to prove a point.
He will face the likes of top two-lappers including Jeremiah Mutai while former world champion over the distance, Eunice Sum - who placed third at the Doha Diamond League, lead the women’s charge.
World 3000m steeplechase champion Hyvin Kiyeng, who set 9:00.12 world lead to beat world record holder Ruth Jebet of Baharain in Doha, will be in the fold as the 2011 Africa junior 1500m bronze medallist Stacy Ndiwa makes a comeback in the 5000m.
World 400m hurdles Nicholas Bett and his brother Aaron Koech, who had a season opening performance to forget over the weekend in Shanghai, are expected to parade for their respective units in the 400m and 400m hurdles.
Commonwealth 5000m silver medallist Emmanuel Bett and his brother Josphat Bett as well as George Koech will be the headline acts in the 12-lap race.
National Police Service coach Isaac Kirwa said that just like in the recent past, their main aim is to dominate the national team to the World Championships in three months.
“Most of the medals Kenya has won from the international competitions come from Police athletes. We want to raise the bar by fielding strong athletes who will sail their way into the team for the world championships,” said Kirwa.
“Most of the athletes competed in the opening legs of the Diamond League in Doha and Shangai and posted good times and what remains is just a little sharpening and everything else will fall into place.”
Police rounds off the disciplined forces’ championships following the Defence Forces and Prisons Service championships last week.