Kenyan trio targets rare gold in Tokyo World Athletics Championships

IN OREGON, USA

US-based Edwin Kurgat will lead two compatriots at this year’s World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Japan as they bid to reclaim the 10,000m gold medal that has eluded Kenya for 24 years.

Kurgat, Ishmael Kipkurui and Benson Kiplangat were selected to represent Kenya in the race during the Prefontaine Classic in Oregon, USA, on Saturday.

Athletics Kenya used the Prefontaine Classic event to pick a team to represent Kenya at the global event. The first three Kenyans to cross the finish line would automatically qualify to compete in 10,000m at the 20th World Championships slated for September 13 to 21 at the Japan National Stadium.

AK chose the Prefontaine Classic, held at Hayward Field, because of favourable weather conditions there. This was advantageous to the Kenyans all of whom ran their personal best times.

Kurgat finished fourth in 26:46.35 followed by Ishmael Kipkurui, a student at New Mexico University of the USA, who clocked 26:47.72.

The third to qualify to represent Kenya in the 10,000m showpiece in Tokyo was World Cross Country Championships bronze medallist Kiplangat who settled for the sixth position after clocking 26:50.00.

He has trained in Japan before and he hopes this will give him an advantage during the championships.

Ethiopian Biniam Mehary won in Oregon with a world lead time of 26:43.82 ahead of his compatriots, second-placed Berihu Aregawi (26:43.84) and Selemon Barega (26:44.13) who finished third.

Kenya’s 5,000m women’s category was represented at Prefontaine Classic by the newly-crowned record holder Beatrice Chebet who clocked 13:58.06, Agnes Jebet Ngetich (14:01.29) and Margaret Akidor (14:30.34). The qualification standard for women’s 5,000m is 14:50.0. Kenya will be represented by four athletes when you add defending champion Faith Kipyegon who has a wild card.

AK Executive Committee member Barnaba Korir, who witnessed the race, said they had decided that it would be the trial for Kenyan athletes ahead of the Tokyo championships. “We agreed that the first three Kenyans would be given slots to compete at the World Athletics Championships,” Korir said.

Kurgat, who has been training at Flagstaff in Arizona, US, said he had been keen on making the national team for Tokyo. He represented Kenya last year at the Olympic Games in Paris in a 5,000m race.

“I’m delighted to have made it to the national team. It was my dream to represent Kenya at the championships in the 10,000m race. Last year, I competed in the 5,000m after emerging fourth in the national trials,” said Kurgat.

He said: “We are training hard because we know it will be very competitive as we will be meeting the Ethiopians who won the event in Oregon”.

“ But championships are a little bit different. They are tactical. It will be different at the world championships but I have to work on my finish in the 400m because that is where they normally beat Kenyans. I’ll be glad to carry Kenya’s flag high,” said Kurgat.

“The training in the US has improved my running techniques. I am glad that I will be representing Kenya in Tokyo. I want to thank Athletics Kenya for allowing us to compete here because the stadium is known for fast times,” said Kipkurui.

Kiplangat said he had to change his running tactic, by making sure he hangs behind the three Ethiopians, hoping to finish in a favourable position. He regretted lacking the finishing kick.

“I knew I might miss the slot in the final stages and since my endurance was good, I decided to keep up with the leading group. It was really fast but in the end, I managed to finish sixth. I am happy to have made the national team,” Kiplangat said.

He added: “I’m going to work hard and improve on my finishing tactics. I will work so hard now that we have just two months to the championships,” said the Keringet-based runner.

Korir further said: “We are transparent on this and everyone saw the results. Having announced that we are using this event to select the team, the slots were just awarded to the first three to cross the finish line of course after getting the qualification mark.”

“We now have the team and they will continue training before the residential camp. We have to finish selecting athletes in the other events on July 22 at the national trials.”

Korir also said that the team that went to compete in the US for the trials was selected purely on merit.