By Omulo Okoth for the Standard
I shed no tears for Sammy Kitwara and Gideon Ngatuny for the fate that befell them after being selected for the World Championships in Berlin.
Our athletes must learn from mistakes and put their act together. It is foolhardy to break through a punishing Kenyan trials (27:44) then shoot oneself in the foot as these talented runners did.
But here they are.
Being lured into the road race circuit only weeks to an event that would catapult them to Sh4m appearance money per race at a cost of some Sh800,000 is one of those most stupid mistakes one can ever make in a lifetime. Had they won their event in Berlin, prize money of Sh4.5m was theirs for the taking.
Learn your lesson folks and avoid such situations in future.
I watched the trials at a packed Nyayo National Stadium on July 25, and I thought we have a fairly strong team.
I have my reservations in the men’s 800m where Olympic champion Wilfred Bungei was left out after being ruled out of the trials by an injury. I thought because we have a wild card in Alfred Kirwa, but who was second in the trials, a fourth slot should have been handed to Bungei.
Very capable
A team of David Rudisha, who won, Kirwa, Jackson Kivuva, who was third and Bungei are very capable of sweeping the medals.
As the French would wont to say, C’est la marke de confiance. These are world-beaters par excellence.
Rudisha and Asbel Kiprop, who won the 1,500m, are particularly spectacular. Rudisha glided so majestically to clinch the two-lap race it reminded me of the days of Billy Konchellah, Paul Ereng’, William Tanui, Stephen ole Marai and Juma Ndiwa.
More medals
"Rudisha atarudisha hii race Kenya," remarked an excited fan.
Kiprop was so impressive and if he maintains that level of confidence he displayed at the trials, I am sure we shall have even more medals in Berlin.
As to the 5,000m, my fears were confirmed when Eliud Kipchoge, whom I thought was the strongest of the trio (Vincent Kiprop Chepkok) and Joseph Ebuya, struggled to finish third.
Kipchoge is feared by Ethiopians even though he has not been much of a challenge since he pipped Moroccan Hicham El Guerrouj and Kenenisa Bekele to the gold in Paris in 2003, the year he won the world junior cross country title in Lausanne.
And one can’t begrudge him for his dwindling form. Six years is a pretty long time for the present generation of athletes. The era of Joseph Chesire, Moses Tanui, Moses Kiptanui, Paul Tergat, Patrick Sang, and others is fast fading to the oblivion.
They would maintain form for as long as two decades and still look fit enough to jump a pole vault.
With rivals Ezekiel Kemboi and Paul Kipsiele Koech in the steeplechase squad, the coaches will have to burn midnight oil to foil people likely to work at cross-purposes.
Brimin Kipruto will most likely win the gold. Richard Mateelong also has no issues. But the two worry me.
I don’t see any threat to Janeth Jepkosgei and Pamela Jelimo in the 800m. But I hope Jelimo will have put her act together by the time of the Worlds.
She looked weak and her style was rather lethargic, apparently caused by less training or distractions from what she knows best or a combination of the two factors. I leave the matter of coaching staff for another day.
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