Athletics Kenya (AK) head coach Julius Kirwa has forecast a promising future for Kenyan sprinters on the world stage.
In an exclusive interview on Monday, Kirwa predicted that the popularity of sprints would surpass that of long-distance events.
He stated that a whole generation of Kenyan sprinters was motivated by the outstanding performance of local sprint wonder Ferdinand Omanyala at the Commonwealth.
"Throughout the years, the nation has gained unmatched popularity for producing long-distance world champions. According to recent events in Kenya, there is a good chance that Kenya may soon rank among the world's superpowers in the sprints, according to Kirwa.
Kirwa lauded the outstanding performances put on display by Kenyan sprinters in recent months, noting that the number of athletes clocking sub-10 seconds appeared to be growing rapidly.
He gave an example of Omanyala and Samuel Imeta who performed admirably in Nyayo Stadium, setting world records and personal best times, respectively.
Imeta blazed to a phenomenal second-place finish in the event's blistering final, clocking an impressive 9.94 to wrap up 0.13 seconds behind Commonwealth Games champion Ferdinand Omanyala.
Both athletes exceeded the 10.00 threshold established by World Athletics in August 2022 for the 2023 World Athletics Championships.
However, the global governing body failed to approve the time recorded by either athlete, blaming a malfunction with the wind measurement apparatus at Nyayo Stadium.
WA asserted that the times set by Omanyala and Imeta could not fairly be expected given the recorded headwind of -4.8m/s.
The seasoned coach of the national squad highlighted the sizable attendance at the most recent AK meeting.
Almost 200 athletes registered for the men's 100-meter race, setting a record that increased the number of heats to about 30, according to Kirwa.
"Nothing like it was experienced in the past competitions, and this attests to the significant advancements the nation has made in short races."
Kirwa claimed that a tour of the nation to find up-and-coming talent had exposed a fresh group of athletes hungry for victory in the sprints.
"A number of promising young sprinters who appear to have an unquenchable drive for achievement. You can be confident that more medals on the sprints podium will soon be celebrated thanks to the generosity, zeal, and energy felt across the nation.
"All we have to do now is draw from the vast pool of potential world champions, and we will have spared ourselves the trouble of putting together a successful team in the future."
