Coach Gikonyo fears over expectation laid on local WU18 stars

Coach Gikonyo fears over expectation laid on local WU18 stars

Team Kenya Head Coach Gikonyo Friday raised fears the weight of expectation might be overburdening local athletes as he cited external interference for the mixed results posted by the hosts thus far.

Speaking to Citizen Digital as the IAAF World Under 18 Championships entered the third day Gikonyo, said that Kenyans expect the athletes to perform like their counterparts in other international events. Though they do not understand that there are races on does not need to win as long they have qualified for the next round.

“Kenyans are used to winning globally and we are under pressure on delivering on the same. I would like them to understand that it’s not a must we win all races especially the heats. The cheering is at times getting into the athletes and they end up using a lot of energy in the heats without reserving some for the finals.

“The other thing is that the athlete are getting confused from several instructors who are messing up all the training we have had with them. This is causing us more harm than good because we are now trying to see how one of our athletes is going to recover and be ready for the Sunday’s final in the boys 2,000m steeplechase,” coach Gikonyo underscored.

On Friday, during the boys 2,000m steeplechase qualifying rounds, Leonard Kipkemoi Bett who won the second heat, was sneaked in a new pair of spikes at the competition area.

Though the 17 year old Bett sailed comfortably to Sunday’s finals after stopping the timer at 5:46.66, ahead of Grima Diriba (5:47.86) of Ethiopia and Anil Kalayci (5:52.64) of Turkey, his contractual shoes left him with blisters on his toes.

“The race was not hard, I was able to qualify for the finals on Sunday with no trouble. I was able to gauge my opponents and discovered that the Ethiopians do not have a strong finishing power. So, Kandie and I will team up so that we bring home a gold and a silver medal,” said Bett in his post-race interview.

His compatriot Cleophas Kandie Meyan (5:51.83) finished second in the first heat behind Alemu Kitessa of Ethiopia who stopped the timer at 5:49.79. Murat Yalcinkaya of Turkey also secured his place for the final after clocking 5:54.33.

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Leonard Kipkemoi Bett IAAF World Under 18 Championships Gikonyo Kariuki

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