Mburu targets Tokyo glory after recovering from groin injury for half-a-season

Stanley Waithaka Mburu, the 2022 World 10,000m silver medallist, has set his sights on redemption at this year’s World Championships in Tokyo, hoping to deliver a gold medal for the country.

Back on the comeback trail after a groin injury sidelined him for much of last season, Mburu says he is now fit, fired up and focused on dipping under the 27:00 qualifying standard for his second global championship appearance.

"Last year, I was not able to run well because of a groin injury, which kept me out of competition for half of the season."

"After I healed, I have been slowly building up in Japan, and now I think it's time to come back," Waithaka said.

The 25-year-old believes he has what it takes to end Kenya’s prolonged drought in the men’s 10,000m, a title the country hasn’t claimed in over two decades.

"Kenya has been missing the gold in the 10,000m for a while now, but I am looking forward to making the team to Tokyo and doing good," he added.

Kenya’s last gold over 25 laps at the World Championships came courtesy of Charles Kamathi in Edmonton 2001, where he outkicked Ethiopians Assefa Mezgebu and the legendary Haile Gebrselassie in a thrilling sprint finish.  Kamathi clocked 27:53.25 with Mezgebu clocking 27:53.97 and Gebrselassie 27:54.41.

Before Kamathi, Moses Tanui (Tokyo 1991) and Paul Kipkoech (Rome 1987) were the only other Kenyans to taste global glory in the distance.

Mburu came close at the 2022 World Championships in Eugene, settling for silver in 27:27.90 behind Uganda’s Joshua Cheptegei (27:27.43).

After a long layoff, Mburu made his return at the Kip Keino Classic on May 31, clocking 13:38.17 to finish third in the men’s 5,000m behind Ethiopians Hailemariyam Amare (13:34.02) and Ayele Tadesse (13:34.86). 

For Mburu, the Kip Keino race was about finding his rhythm. "The race has been good, I have not been running the 5,000m for a while. I have been focusing mostly on the 10,000m," he said.

He was using the race to gauge his speed ahead of the Kenyan 10,000m trials set for the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene on July 5.

"I decided to run the 5,000m at the Kip Keino Classic to gauge my speed as I prepare for the 10,000m trials next month," he noted.

Mburu's last race at the Hayward Field in the 10,000m during the May 2024 Olympic trials did not go as he had hoped.

He clocked 27:07.34 to finish seventh, outside the top three slots, which would secure his ticket to the Paris Olympics.

The Kip Keino outing has renewed his confidence ahead of the World Championship trials.

Mburu was pleased with his performance at the Kip Keino Classic, noting that he only needs to work on his endurance.

"I am happy with my performance, my speed is there. The only thing I will work on with my coach is my endurance. For now, I will be training in Nyahururu."