Ngii, Gathimba lead Kenyans to Race Walk Team Championships

African Games champion Emily Ngii and silver medallist Samuel Gathimba will lead Kenya’s charge at the World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships in Antalya, Turkey, on April 21.

Ngii and Gathimba have entered the newly-introduced race walk mixed relay marathon.

They will be accompanied by former Africa Under 20 champion Dominic Ndigiti and Sylvia Kemboi.

Teams of one man and one woman will complete the marathon distance in legs of 12.195km (man), 10km (woman), 10km (man) and 10km (woman).

The first 22 teams will qualify for the marathon race walk mixed relay at the Olympics in Paris.  According to World Athletics, up to five of those first 22 teams can be a second team from the same country.

A star-studded team led by World Under 20 champion Heristone Wanyonyi, Dominic Mwenda, Peter Theuri and Eric Shikuku will take part in the men’s 20km race.

Africa under 20 bronze medallist Stephen Ndangili and Margaret Gati will be Kenya’s representatives in the 10km under 20 races. The team was named by national race walking coach George Kariuki, who is part of Kenya’s entourage to Turkey. He will be assisted by Benjamin Mbusya.

Athletics Kenya Nyanza North chairman Joseph Ochieng is the team leader and will be assisted by Western region’s Francis Afundi.

The team is expected to report for residential training next week.

The coach believes the race-walkers have come of age and will medal at the Olympics in Paris, France.

Gathimba, a world race walking bronze medallist and Ngii, a Commonwealth bronze medallist and who is ranked 38th in the world, have already qualified for the Olympics.

Kariuki said Ngii has qualified for the Olympics by being the African champion.

“We want to ensure that we have athletes finishing in the top 22 to qualify for the Olympics,” said Kariuki.

“Gathimba is among the top 10 race walkers in the world and with good preparations, he can win a medal at the Olympics.”

He observed that race walk is growing fast. “Africa is behind us in terms of race walking. We are now focusing on winning medals at the Olympics. We are contenders and not just participants at the Olympics,” said Kariuki.