Newly crowned 20km race walk champion Sylvia Kemboi is over the moon after earning her first call up to the national team ahead of the Senior Africa Athletics Championships next month in Reduit, Mauritius.
After playing third and second fiddle for many years, Kemboi finally won the national 20km race walk title after a five-year wait.
Kemboi, who started training way back in 2018, placed second during the 2021 Olympic Games Trials, behind champion Emily Ngii, but the win last week handed her the first call up into Team Kenya ahead of the Africa show scheduled for June 8-12.
“Winning the national championships was one of the happiest moments in my career. Besides, being named in Team Kenya was the best thing that ever happened to me,” said Kemboi.
Despite the lack of structures in her discipline, Kemboi is still optimistic about doing well on the African stage. Kemboi, who trains in Kaptagat, Elgeyo Marakwet County, said her aim is to win gold for Kenya.
"As much as I am training on my own, coach Geoffrey Otwani, has been very helpful. Occasionally, I have trained with the World Under-20 10km race walk champion Heristone Wanyonyi," she revealed.
Kemboi won the Athletics Kenya meeting in Mumias as well as the Kisumu leg. Besides the Africa show, she said she would like also to feature at the World Championships as well as the Commonwealth Games.
“I have never represented the country in any event but my recent performance is a sign that I can get a chance to compete for Kenya in the other major championships. The chance to the Africa event is very key,” she said.
“Since I started this journey in 2017, I have been missing qualifying time but now my body is in good form. I have good skills in readiness for Africa and other events,” said Kemboi.
Kemboi will be marshaling team Kenya that has Grace Wanjiru and Emily Ngii in the walk. They will be joining a list of 68 other athletes, 34 men, and 34 women ahead of the continental showpiece.
