Imara Bella Thorpe and Ridhwan Mohammed have joined the Kenya swimming team for the World Aquatics long course Championships slated for Doha next week.
The duo will join Maria Brunlehner and Maina Monyo for the week-long championship starting on Sunday.
Kenya Aquatics Secretary General, Collins Marigiri, said Mohammed had lodged a case at the Sports Dispute Tribunal (SDT) on his exclusion from the team and won hence merits selection to the world event.
Ridhwan will feature in the 400m and 100m freestyle races while Brunhlener will compete in the 50m and 100m freestyle events.
Maina has been picked for the 200m freestyle while Thorpe will battle it out in the 50m and 100m butterfly. The team will also compete in the mixed 4x100m freestyle relay and 4x100m medley race.
Brunlehner is the most experienced of the quartet having competed in the women’s 100m freestyle at the 2019 World Championships in Gwangju, South Korea.
She also featured at the 2019 All Africa Games in Rabat, where alongside Emily Muteti, Monyo Maina and Swaleh Talib broke the national 400m freestyle mixed relay record after posting 3.42.58.
The event is the qualifier for the Olympic Games slated for later this year and should the quartet attain the qualification time, they will represent the country in the Paris Games
The four, who train under various coaches, will this time round train under Emily Muteti’s coach at Grand Canyon University Steve Schaffer.
Schaffer, who is the head coach at the university, said he was delighted with an adverse group of talented swimmers for the championship.
“I’m looking forward to working with the four swimmers. We have started some preliminary work and I believe they will do the country proud.”
Schaffer has an extensive coaching resume that dates back to 30 years ago in various capacities across the United States.
Winfred Warui's position as team manager is in doubt as he is being challenged by a parent Jen Maina.
Maina said the laid down procedure was not followed in making the appointment and wants it revoked.
