Kenya names provisional squad for World Championships

Kenya named a provisional team of 45 athletes for the IAAF World Athletics Championships slated for August 4-13 in London.

A majority of the athletes who made it to Team Kenya were in the 2015 Beijing World Championships squad that topped the world with a total of 16 medals with seven gold, six silver and three bronze medals.

The newly-named team will join Beijing World Champions Ezekiel ‘Baba Yao’ Kemboi (3,000m steeplechase), David ‘King’ Rudisha (800m), Asbel Kiprop (1,500m), Hyvin Kiyeng (3,000m steeplechase), Julius Yego (javelin) and Nicholas Bett ( 400m hurdles) in the hunt for the coveted medals.

Athletics Kenya (AK) gave time to athletes who failed to qualify during the trials until mid July to make it to the team.

“We still have room for more athletes. You still have the Diamond League season going on and any other IAAF ratified race,” said Rt. Gen Jackson Tuwei.

Bett was the only athlete named in the 400m hurdles. The invited athletes at the trials failed to qualify after a fan at the terraces kept on blowing the whistle which confused the athletes twice.

“I will use my brother’s opportunity at the London Diamond League to qualify. I also hope that AK will consider Boniface Mucheru since he is an Olympic silver medalist and he has fully recovered from his injury, ” said the Aaron Koech the African Championships bronze medalist.

Kenya will take only three athletes instead of four in the 10,000m after Rio Olympics and World Champion Vivian Cheruiyot graduated to road racing.

Incumbent World Cross Country champion Irene Cheptai will be going for the second World Championships while former World Cross Champion Agnes Jebet Tirop and African Champion Alice Aprot will be making their debut.

The men 3,000m steeplechase team was a reapeat of 2015. Olympics Games gold and World silver medalist Conseslus Kipruto, led former Olympics and World Champion Brimin Kipruto and Glasgow Commonwealth Games silver medalist Jairus Birech in a 1-2-3 finish. The trio will join Baba Yao as he hunts for fifth back-to-back world title.

Elijah Kimitei will join Yego in the field event as African high jump champion Matthew Sawe awaits green light from the IAAF.

The walkers led by African queen Grace Wanjiru will for the first time compete at the World Championships after several heartbreaks in the past.

MEN
200m- Mark Otieno

400m-Raymond Kibet, Collins Omae and Alphas kishoyian

800m- David Rudisha, Ferguson Rotich, Emmanuel Korir, Kipyegon Bett and Michael Saruni

1500m – Asbel Kiprop, Elijah Manangoi,
Timothy Cheruiyot and Ronald Kwemoi

5000m- Cyrus Rutto and Davis Kiplangat

10,000m- Geoffrey Kamworor, Bedan Karoki and Paul Tanui

400m hurdles- Nicholas Bett

3000m Steeplechase- Ezekiel Kemboi, Conseslus Kipruto, Brimin Kipruto and Jairus Birech

20km Walk- Samuel Gathimba and Simon Wachira

Marathon- Geoffrey Kirui, Daniel Wanjiru and Daniel Kipketer

Javelin – Julius Yego

Tripple Jump – Elijah Kimitei

WOMEN

400m- Maximila Imali

800m- Margaret Nyairera, Eunice Sum and Emily Cherotich

1500m- Winnie Chebet, Faith Chepn’getich and Sheila Jepleting

5000m- Hellen Obiri and Margaret Chelimo

10,000m- Alice Aprot, Irene Cheptai and
Agnes Tirop

20 km walk – Grace Wanjiru

Marathon- Edna Kiplagat, Helah Kiprop and Philomena Cheyech

3000m Steeplechase – Cellphine Chepsol, Beatrice Chepkoech, Purity Kirui and Hyvin Kiyeng