Meshack Babu during a training session at Nyayo stadium/ TEDDY MULEI
Meshack Babu is determined to become only the second Kenyan sprinter to break the elusive 10-second barrier when he competes at the 2026 Commonwealth Games scheduled for July 23 to August 2 in Glasgow, Scotland.
The Kenya Defence Forces speedster heads to the Games with a lifetime best of 10.20 seconds set at this year’s National Championships, which also doubled up as the Commonwealth Games trials at Nyayo Stadium. At the national showpiece,
Ferdinand Omanyala stormed to victory in 10.00 seconds, while Babu finished second in 10.20 and Mark Otieno completed the podium in 10.32. Following the trials, Omanyala, Babu and Otieno earned the honour of carrying Kenya’s sprint hopes to Glasgow.
Babu has made his ambitions clear ahead of the Games, with his sights firmly set on rewriting history. “The target for me is to run sub-10 seconds. That is what I have been working on,” said Babu.
The sprinter also revealed that Kenya’s sprint trio will rely heavily on teamwork as they chase podium success in Scotland. “We will work as a team. We need each other’s support to fly our nation’s flag high.”
While Babu has been a regular member of Kenya’s 4x100m relay teams at major international championships, he is relishing the opportunity to compete in the individual 100m on the global stage. “I have represented Kenya in global events, but not in my individual event.
This time I will be running my individual event. “I need to work hard. It’s going to be a different environment, but it will also be good exposure, so I need to give my best,” he said. The 30-year-old added that he has been sharpening his block starts and fine-tuning his race execution during the residential training camp ahead of departure for Scotland.
“When we were at the trials, my coach noticed a few areas of concern. My reaction to the blocks and race execution needs to be perfect,” he added. Babu is also delighted to be back to full fitness after a hamstring injury threatened to derail the early stages of his season.
“The season did not start so well for me because just as I was picking up, I suffered a hamstring injury. “But I thank God that as the season progressed, I recovered and started running well,” he said. Babu has enjoyed an impressive 2026 campaign so far.
He opened his season as part of Kenya’s 4x100m relay team at the Lefika Relays in Botswana on March 28. Teaming up with Omanyala, Boniface Mweresa and Ronald Koech, the quartet clocked 39.12 seconds to finish second behind Nigeria, who won in 38.98.
Babu later represented Kenya at the World Athletics Relays in Gaborone, Botswana, on May 3, where he lined up alongside Otieno, Omanyala and Koech in the men’s 4x100m relay.
The quartet blazed to a national record of 38.27 seconds, finishing third behind China (37.85) and Ghana (38.09) in the second round of qualification for the 2027 World Championships. He then returned home for the KDF Track and Field Championships, where he completed an impressive sprint double.
Babu powered to victory in the 100m in 10.21 seconds ahead of Steve Onyango (10.26) and Mweresa (10.38). He followed that up by claiming the 200m title in 20.72 seconds, beating Zablon Ekwam (20.87) and Samuel Chege (21.29).
With the Commonwealth Games fast approaching, Babu believes he is in the right shape to challenge both the clock and the world’s best sprinters. “I am in good form and feeling very ready,” he said.
