Former Los Angeles Mathon champion Margaret Wangari Muriuki and Fukuoka Marathon champion Michael Githae have set the bar high ahead of Commonwealth Games set for August in Birmingham, England.
Wangari, a National Police Service officer, will be making her marathon debut in Team Kenya after switching from track to marathon five years ago.
“I am happy that I am one of those athletes picked to represent the country at the Commonwealth Games. I am sure we shall bring glory that has never been witnessed before,” said Wangari.
Wangari will have the company of Maurine Chepkemoi (2:20:18, Amsterdam, 2021), Purity Changwony (2:22:16 Siena, 2021) and Stella Barsosio (2:22:08, Rotterdam, 2021)
The former Lisbon Half Marathon silver medalist has in the past represented the country on track and cross country.
“This will be my first time to represent the country in marathon although I have done it before in other international events including —World Cross Country Championships, African Cross Country, African Athletics Championships and Commonwealth Games among others,” she said.
She was also part of Team Kenya to the 2010 World Cross Country Championships in Bydgoszcz, where Kenya scooped all medals on offer.
“We did the same at the 2013 Africa Cross Country Championships where I finished fifth in the senior women's race,” she said.
Githae, who is on the reserve team for the Club Games, is optimistic that he will do well at the contest.
The Nyahururu-based runner, who mostly competes in Japan, won the 2021 Fukuoka Marathon in 2:07.51 before finishing 10th at the 2022 Tokyo Marathon, timing 2:07.55.
“This has been my dream. It is an honour to be in the Kenyan team,” he said.
“This will be my first time running for Kenya and I will be happy to be in the team, not a reserve as it is now,” he said.
He was named alongside Philemon Kacheran (2:05:19, Valencia, 2021), Jonathan Korir (2:04:32, Amsterdam, 2021) and Eric Kiptanui (2:05:47, Siena, 2021).
