by Bismarck Mutahi After a good show by our athletics team at the Olympic Games in Beijing, last year, a lot is expected of them at the World Athletics Championships in Berlin, Germany in August.
Good results are, however, achieved because of proper preparation and giving the team enough time in camp before a major competition.
A case in point is the Beijing and Osaka teams that had close to one month training before the competition. The results speak for themselves.
I, however, fear for our team to Berlin after Athletics Kenya (AK) decided to hold the World Championships Trials on August 25, barely days before the competition in Germany.
German Capital
This means the national team should have flown to the German capital before then. Will they have had enough time in camp to prepare with the Championship starting on August 15?
It does not really matter the reasons AK have for fixing the Trials for July 25, but two weeks of training will not be enough to put our athletes in shape for the competition.
Our main rivals, especially Ethiopia, have more time to prepare but instead of countering that we decide to have training for only two weeks?
If the Beijing and Osaka teams prevailed then why do we have to change?
They are unconfirmed reports AK decided on the date so that agents will not have enough time to pullout athletes from camp for the money-minting meets in Europe.
If it is true AK are doing that because of the agents, then we are planning for a debacle in Berlin.
But whatever reasons AK had for setting the July 25 date, it is not good for our preparation and they should change it.
Athletes who will compete in the Trials are not taking part in the National Championships anyway so I believe there is no question of giving them time to recover before the Trials.
The likes of Olympic 800m champion Pamela Jelimo need time to put themselves back in shape for Berlin but two weeks will not be enough for a return to form.
Jelimo and many others could be training now but she will only step up her training once she knows she is in the team to Berlin.
I am urging AK to reconsider the dates and why not pick a date like July11?
It does not matter what other meets will be going on in other cities, which will need our athletes presence.
We need to respect trials and not bend to the wishes of other forces. I hope I am wrong on this and AK is right, otherwise are planning to fail in Berlin.
ShareThis