By Mutwiri MutuotaProducers and directors have taken their seats, some 253 actors allocated their roles and the grand stage is being set for ‘Road to Berlin’ show finale on Saturday.
The gripping drama will be at the Nyayo National Stadium ‘studio’ that has been closed to the public. Kenya’s cast for August 15 to 23 World Championships will be unveiled then.
The production will captivate an entire nation from those watching inside the bowels of the nation’s second sports cathedral to residents of tiny Kiptamok Village in Kaptumo where Olympics champion and 800m princess, Pamela Jelimo grew up.
Yesterday, the show’s ‘executive producer’ and Athletics Kenya (AK) chairperson, Isaiah Kiplagat, spelled out the rules of the country’s auditions for Berlin where it was disclosed, "it will not be a game of chance".
"We have entered some athletes in two distances for them to make a choice, but we urge them to take part in their speciality. We want to select the best of the best where the first two across the line will gain automatic entry and the panel of selectors will choose a third provided qualification for Berlin has been achieved," Kiplagat said.
"We will seek quality not quantity. We would rather take 20 runners capable of winning 20 medals than 50 who will win only one. We are confident we will select a winning team," he said.
Just like Hollywood, California boasts of the biggest movie stars, the ‘Road to Berlin’ finale has pooled the cream of mid and long distance runners on the planet ranging from Olympic, world, Africa and grand prix winners.
"We expect the competition to be stiff in most races since we have invited only those with a chance of qualifying. Some races like the women’s 1,500m may however, see only four runners compete should Florence Kiplagat, Sally Kipyego and Vivian Cheruiyot decide to stick to 5,000m," Kiplagat said.
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