Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Daily Nation
Published on 2024-02-14 16:27:42
Athletics Kenya (AK) has announced that two more athletes, Beatrice Chepkoech and Naomi Korir, have been added to the national team for the World Athletics Indoor Championships, scheduled to take place from March 1 to 3 at the Commonwealth Arena in Glasgow, Scotland. Chepkoech is the world record holder in the 3,000m steeplechase, while Korir qualified before the entries deadline.
In light of the unfortunate passing of marathon world record holder Kelvin Kiptum in a road accident, AK has decided to cancel the African Games trials that were scheduled to start in Nairobi. This decision was made in honor of Kiptum’s memory.
Chepkoech earned her qualification in both the 3,000m and 1,500m short track events by finishing third in the 3,000m with a time of 8:30.87 at the Meeting Hauts-de-France Pas-de-Calais in France. She also finished fifth in the 1,500m with a time of 4:01.17 during the Orlen Copernicus Cup in Poland. As a result, Chepkoech will compete in the women’s 3,000m alongside Teresiah Gateri, the 2021 world under-20 3,000m champion who is based in Japan.
Chepkoech has expressed interest in also competing in the 1,500m if the event schedule permits, as she aims to secure a podium finish. She hopes to follow in the footsteps of Hellen Obiri, the only Kenyan athlete to win the world indoor 3,000m title. Obiri won the 3,000m indoor title at the 2012 world championships in Istanbul, Turkey.
Korir, who qualified through her superior world ranking, will join Vivian Chebet in the women’s 800m event, aiming to replicate Pamela Jelimo’s 2012 world indoor exploits. Jelimo is the only Kenyan woman to win the world 800m indoor title.
Looking ahead, AK Director of Competitions Paul Mutwii announced that the selection criteria for the African Games will be announced later, considering the options of holding trials or making selections from previous Athletics Kenya Track and Field Meetings. This decision is due to the discomfort of continuing with trials while the athletics community mourns the loss of Kelvin Kiptum.
The confirmed athletes in the national team for the World Athletics Indoor Championships are as follows:
Men’s 800m: Noah Kibet, Collins Kipruto
Women’s 800m: Vivian Chebet, Naomi Korir
Men’s 1,500m: Reynold Kipkorir, Vincent Kibet
Women’s 3,000m: Teresiah Muthoni Gateri, Beatrice Chepkoech
Mixed 4x400m relay: Boniface Mweresa, Zablon Ekwam, Kelvin Tauta, Wiseman Were
The national team is gearing up to represent Kenya at the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Scotland and continuing to honor the legacy of Kenyan athletes.
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