Palio Della Quercia Rovereto 5,000m champion Michael Kibet believes that a place in Team Kenya to the Tokyo Olympics will heal the emotional pain of missing out on the 2019 World Championships in Doha, Qatar.
Kibet was all set to fly the country's flag two years ago — alongside Daniel Simiu — before both were dropped from the final team after failing to meet anti-doping requirements.
“This time, I have been tested six times, surpassing the four required by the anti-doping law for the global showpiece. If I get the opportunity to run for Kenya, I want to reach the finals and bring a medal,” Kibet said.
According to major competition requirements, athletes need to undergo at least three doping tests within the qualification period for the event, such as World Championships and the Olympics.
The two-time Maria Soti Cross Country champion said he has been training hard and is hungry to prove himself more than capable of hoisting the country's name high in Tokyo.
“I missed the 2019 slot to compete for Kenya and this will be my right time to prove that I have the power to compete for the flag and the team too,” the 22-year old said.
Kibet is among 18 athletes who will be vying for a slot in the men's 5,000m team during the national trials, which begin this Thursday at Moi Stadium, Kasarani.
Among those standing in his path to glory include former Africa junior cross country champion Nicholas Kimeli, who is keen on building on his fifth-place finish at the World Championships in Doha.
Sharpening his skills in Iten, Elgeyo Marakwet, Kimeli said he has been training well knowing the task ahead.
“My focus now is to cut into the Team Kenya. It has been a while, just preparing for the task ahead of me," Kimeli, who won the Kip Keino Classic Continental Tour last year, said.
Another hopeful is Erick Kiptanui, who finished second behind Kibet at Palio Della Quercia in Rovereto.
Meanwhile, national 400m champion Mary Moraa continued her rich vein of form by setting a new personal best of 1:59.25 to attain the Tokyo Olympics qualification mark on her way to victory in the women's 800m at the Sollentuna GP World Athletics Continental Tour Gold in Sweden.
This feat erased her personal best of 1:59.95 set barely a week earlier at the Paavo Nurmi Games in Turku, Finland.
"I am so happy about this achievement. It is God who has done wonders for me today. I didn't expect such a result since I was not feeling well from yesterday but with God, everything is possible," Moraa said.
She is expected to battle it out with 11 other hopefuls at the national trials, including Emily Cherotich, Eunice Sum, Eglay Nalianya, Naomi Korir and Sylvia Chesebe.
