Ever neglected and marginalised due to lack of investments by Athletics Kenya, local sprinters, jumpers and throwers will finally get a shot at international glory but only because Kenya is hosting the African Athletics championships.
Mark Mutai is one of the sprinters who made the team to Berlin World Championship last year, but again failed to impress. However, he is looking at that experience as his launching pad to do well in the Africa’s premier track and field event, which will be staged at Nyayo national Stadium from July 28 to August 1.
Deserve respect
“This competition gives us the platform to prove that we deserve some respect. It has been hard to us but we have the chance now,” said Mutai, a 400m runner. He pointed out national 400m champion Anderson Mureta as a medal prospect, a view backed by head coach Stephen Mwaniki.
“These athletes have self belief. They had done enough to warrant entry into the team and we are helping them unlock that potential and claim their place come the championship,” said Mwaniki. In the women race, Grace Kidake at 23 is the country’s main hope and aims to fill the shoes of injured Joyce Zakary, a student at the IAAF high Altitude camp in Dakar, Senegal.
In her absence, Kidake, who has for a year served as her understudy, emerged to claim the top spot and is Kenya’s medal prospect in the one lap race. “It is a great honour to me. I am in my peak form and am eying to win a medal for the country, the first medal,” she said.
Kidake is optimistic she will do well. Nigeria, South Africa and Senegal, were singled out as Kenya’s biggest rivals and Kidake is alive to the need to prepare adequately for the challenge.
Living the dream
However, for Armed Forces Tabitha Mwihaki, pulling on Kenyan jersey at home is a dream come true. “I am living the dream. It has been hard for me running for three years without making the team but now I have my chance and I feel no pressure at all to deliver,” she said.
Mwihaki will join forces with Florence Wasike and Maureen Chelagat in the 400m hurdles. Mwaniki is thankful that the Sports Stadium Management Board (SSMB) has allowed them to use the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani track tartan. This will supplement the warm up track whose poor condition the athletes have complained about.
“This tartan inside the stadium is better and we hope athletes who have been complaining of picking muscle strains, will relax and in three days be back to their best form,” said Japheth Kariakim, one of the team physiotherapists.
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