• However, visa issues delayed key athletes, including Simiu, Chemining, and Chelimo, who missed the initial travel batches on Monday and Tuesday.
• The selection process will see the top two finishers earn automatic Olympic spots, with a panel deciding the third-a change from the previous selection process where the top three secured qualification.
Image: HANDOUT
National athletics coach Julius Kirwa anticipates intense competition in the men’s and women’s 10,000m during Kenya’s Olympic Trials this weekend at the Prefontaine Classic Diamond League in Eugene, Oregon.
Athletics Kenya (AK) relocated the trials to Oregon due to a lack of World Athletics-approved stadiums in Kenya.
The men’s race will feature world 10,000m silver medalist Daniel Simiu, former World Half Marathon record holder Kibiwott Kandie and former world 10,000m silver medallist, Stanley Waithaka.
On the women’s side, two-time world cross country champion Beatrice Chebet leads the charge, alongside Valencia 10km Road Race silver medalist Immaculate Anyango, world cross country bronze medalist Margaret Chelimo and Malaga Half Marathon champion Loice Chemining.
Kirwa said the competition to get a slot in the Kenyan team will be highly competitive, owing to the rich list of top athletes.
“I expect high competition at Prefontaine. Making Team Kenya will be tough, but those who qualify will be thoroughly prepared for the Olympics,” he said.
However, visa issues delayed key athletes, including Simiu, Chemining, and Chelimo, who travelled on Wednesday night.
“Some of our key athletes including Simiu, Chemining and Chelimo among others did not get their visas in time meaning they travelled late,” he noted.
“The athletes' visa issues were sorted and we expect them to have joined the rest of the squad.”
The selection process will see the top two finishers earn automatic Olympic spots, with a panel deciding the third change from the previous selection process where the top three secured qualification.
“Our selection is straightforward: The top two get automatic qualification and the third will be chosen by a panel,” Kirwa explained.
Kirwa aims for a robust team to claim a gold medal for Kenya after 56 years of waiting.
“We need a strong team for the Olympics to regain our spot in the 10,000m,” he noted.
The only Kenyan gold at the Olympics in the 25-lap event came during the 1968 Olympics in Mexico where Naftali Temu secured the crown in 29:27.40.
Paul Tergat came close in the 1996 Olympics and 2000 Olympics where he secured silver behind Ethiopia’s Haile Gebrselassie in both events.
The country suffered a huge blow at the delayed 2020 Tokyo Olympics failing to clinch a podium finish in both the men's and women's races.
The last podium finish for Kenya came at the 2016 Rio Olympics where Paul Kipngetich secured silver clocking 27:05.64 behind Britain’s Mohamed Farah (27:05.17) with Vivian Cheruiyot clinching silver in the women's event (29:32.53) behind Ethiopia’s Almaz Ayana (29:17.45).
Highlighting AK’s commitment to Olympic glory in the 10,000m, Kirwa said, “We moved the trials to Prefontaine to ensure our athletes compete against the best. We’re on the right path of making sure Kenya dominates at the Olympics.”
In the women’s event, the World record holder in the 5,000m Gudaf Tsegay of Ethiopia will flex her muscles against the Kenyan ladies.
Kirwa asserted Kenya’s readiness for the Olympics, “Once the team is selected, we will strategize to ensure top performance. At the Olympics, we aim to push other nations and put Kenya on top,” he concluded.