• “Go there and win every medal available. Kenya’s record at the Africa Games speaks for itself. Go there, represent our country well and bring back every medal. We believe in you and know you can do it,” Athletics Kenya (AK) president Jack Tuwei urged athletes before they left.
• The team is a mix of experienced athletes who have excelled at past international competitions as well as the upcoming ones who will be making their debut for the country.
Image: CHARLENE MALWA
As the African Games athletics programme gets underway this morning (Tuesday), all eyes will be on Kenya with Ethiopia and Uganda as the main rivals.
The athletics programme officially started at the Accra Stadium, where Kenya is fielding 52 athletes.
Since the first edition of the games in 1965 in Brazzaville, Congo, the quadrennial event has been the stage on which many of the most iconic athletes to ever put on the Kenyan singlet have shone and made their mark.
The likes of legendary Kipchoge Keino, the late Henry Rono and Ezekiel Kemboi have etched their names in the annals of history for contributing to the 442 medals Kenya have won.
With the chance to follow in the footsteps of Keino and company, athletics fans across the country will be hopeful of a medal harvest in the Ghanaian capital.
“Go there and win every medal available. Kenya’s record at the Africa Games speaks for itself. Go there, represent our country well and bring back every medal. We believe in you and know you can do it,” Athletics Kenya (AK) president Jack Tuwei urged athletes before they left.
The team is a mix of experienced athletes who have excelled at past international competitions and rookie debutants.
World 800m champion Mary Moraa, the 3000m steeplechase world record holder, Beatrice Chepkoech, and the 2016 Olympics javelin silver medallist Julius Yego go into their respective competitions as favourites.
Others to keep an eye on are African Games 20km walk champion Samuel Gathimba, 2017 World Under 18 Championships 20km walk bronze medallist Dominic Ndigiti, the 2014 Commonwealth Games 3000m steeplechase champion Purity Kirui and Africa 3000m steeplechase bronze medallist Caren Chebet.
AK Youth chairman Barnaba Korir is confident the team will follow in the footsteps of past representatives.
“We have a strong team and I am sure we will dominate the games. We are hopeful of another medal harvest as has been the norm in the past editions,” Korir said.
The athletes are itching for the podium.
“I have prepared well and am in Accra to win a medal. It has been a long time since I made the podium. It's about time I get into the medal bracket,” Kirui said.
For others, an excellent performance in Accra will motivate them ahead of the Paris Olympic Games.
“I will compete in the 400m since I need speed. I want to run in the 600m too before I return to the 800m,” world champion Moraa said after clinching her ticket to the African Games.
Moraa wants to set a national record in the 400m in Accra.
She has unfinished business in the one-lap race, where she clocked 51.97 to finish fourth during the 12th edition of the African Games in Rabat, Morocco, in 2019.
Chepkoech, the world 3,000m steeplechase silver medallist, targets glory in the 5,000m race, alongside Mary Mananu.
The 32-year-old Chepkoech is fresh from clinching a bronze medal in the 3,000m Short Track at the 2024 Glasgow Indoor Championships in a time of 8:22.68.
Full Games Team
Women 100m
Esther Mbagari
Eunice Kadogo
Men 100m
Hesborn Ochieng
Steve Onyango
Women 100m Hurdles
Rukia Nusra
110m Hurdles men
Wiseman Were
200m Women
Millicent Ndoro
200m men
Samuel Chege
Dan Kiviasi
400m women
Mary Moraa
400m Men
Kennedy Kimeu
David Sanayek
400m Hurdles women
Venice Kerubo
Rahab Wanjiru
400m Hurdles men
Kipkorir Rotich
Nicholas Kiblimo
800m Women
Vivian Chebet
Lilian Odira
800m men
Kipngetich Ngeno
Aaron Kemei
1500m women
Mary Ekiru
Lydia Cheruto
1500m men
Brian Komen
Abel Kipsang
3000m steeplechase women
Caren Chebet
Purity Cherotich
3000m steeplechase men
Amos Serem
Simon Koech
Edmond Serem
5000m women
Beatrice Chepkoech
Mary Manalu
5000m men
Cornelius Kemboi
10000m women
Janet Chepngetich
10,000m men
Francis Abong
Evans Keitani
Decathlon
Edwin Kemutai
20km walk men
Samuel Gathimba
Dominic Ndigiti
20km walk women
Emily Ngii
Sylvia Kemboi
High jump women
Zeddy Jesire
High jump men
Asbel Kemboi
Triple Jump men
Isaac Kirwa
Men javelin
Julius Yego
Women Javelin
Joyce Lalam