Eldoret to host first leg of AK meet
What you need to know:
- Syombua had won the 400m trials for the African Games in a national record time of 51.09 seconds but got injured during the Police Championship’s, an injury that saw her perform dismally at the African Games and at the World Championships.
- With national 400m champion Alphas Kishoyian (KDF) missing in action, the focus will be on the likes of Alex Sampao (Police), Jospeh Poghisio (KDF), Collins Omae, Jared Momanyi (KDF), among others.
Top guns have opted to field athletes mostly in sprint and field events in the opening leg of Athletics Kenya track and field meeting due this weekend at the University of Eldoret.
Kenya Police Service, Kenya Prisons Service and Kenya Defence Forces are some of the teams that have rested most of their middle and long distance athletes after the grueling National Cross Country Championships last weekend.
But a number of top athletes are expected in Eldoret this weekend, the region being the hub of athletics in Kenya.
Athletics Kenya Central Rift Region chairman, Abraham Mutai, has said all the track and field events will be staged during the meeting, with the exception of women’s 3,000m steeplechase and pole vault owing to lack of facilities.
Mutai said it was disappointing that after many promises by the government, construction work has stalled at Kipchoge Keino Stadium which was meant to host the event.
“It’s time it dawned on us all that the government doesn’t really value the contribution our gallant athletes have made to this country,” Mutai said.
“Our athletes have nowhere to train and some of the fields where we are hosting competitions are not up to the required standard.”
“We are not even sure of the measurements of the fields. Our athletes are disappointed and sad,” said Mutai, adding that his team is ready for the two-day event that starts on Saturday.
National 100 metres champion Ferdinand Omanyala from the Universities is again expected to renew rivalry with KDF’s Samuel Chege and Hesbon Ochieng from Prisons. Omanyala relegated Chege and Ochieng to second and third place respectively when he won the national title last year.
Former national 100m champion and national 100m record holder Mark Otieno will also be in the mix. Otieno beat Omanyala, Ochieng and Chege to win the 100m during the African Games trials last year before Omanyala won the national title and trials for the World Championships last year.
National 200m champion Mike Mokamba (KDF), who is also the former 100m national record holder comes up against Dan Kiviasi from Prisons, Peter Mwai from Police and Chege as most athletes seek top double in 100m and 200m.
The event will also see the return of former Prisons 100m champion Steven Baraza from a long lay-off due to injury.
National 200m champion Millicent Ndoro (Police) will double up in 100m and 200m where she will face, among others, 2015 African Games 100m silver medallist Eunice Kadogo (Police) and National 100m champion Monica Safania (Police).
Damaris Akoth from Prisons is the other athlete to watch.
National 400m champion Mary Moraa and national 400m record holder Hellen Syombua, all from Police, will take to the blocks in the one-lap race. Moraa won both the national title and the trials for the World Championships last year.
Syombua had won the 400m trials for the African Games in a national record time of 51.09 seconds but got injured during the Police Championship’s, an injury that saw her perform dismally at the African Games and at the World Championships.
With national 400m champion Alphas Kishoyian (KDF) missing in action, the focus will be on the likes of Alex Sampao (Police), Jospeh Poghisio (KDF), Collins Omae, Jared Momanyi (KDF), among others.
