Budapest23: Can Kenya produce back-to-back 800m world champions

Since the days of Kenyan legend Billy Konchella winning two world titles, in 1987 in Rome and 1991 in Tokyo followed by Paul Ruto’s triumph in Stuttgart, 1993, Kenya has yet to dominate the 800m men’s distance at the world championships.

Kapchemoiywo-born Wilson Kipketer would have continued the dominance for the East African country but he won three consecutive titles (1995,97, 99) but the glory went to Denmark as he had switched allegiance.

Since Ruto’s title, it has been a musical chairs kind of performance for Kenya on the world stage with Alfred Kirwa Yego winning in 2007, world record holder David Rudisha in 2011 and 2015 and Emmanuel Korir in 2022.

Budapest23: Ten Team Kenya athletes chasing qualification times ahead of deadline

Following this weekend’s trials, Athletics Kenya named a four-man team that is a mix of old and new. The question on everyone’s mind is whether Kenya can retain the title currently held by Korir from Oregon.

The team to Budapest has former world U20 champion Emmanuel Wanyonyi who has been likened with the world record holder, Rudisha. Wanyonyi will be making his second appearance at the world, having finished fourth in Oregon.

Also, on the team is national champion Kipng’etich Ngeno who is also making a second appearance after his debut in 2019 in Doha while injured defending champion Korir is expected to feature should he be fit by then.

Ferguson Rotich is the fourth athlete on the list. He, however, has some work to do to be in Budapest as he missed the qualifying time by the smallest of margins.

The Olympics silver medalist and 2019 world bronze medalist Rotich managed 1:44.71 for third place during the trials to secure his place in Team Kenya.

The qualifying standard for the distance is set at 1:44.70 and should he make the time in the next 21 days when the qualifying window closes, this will be his fifth world championships and that experience could come in handy for a medal as was seen at the Tokyo Olympics where he won silver behind Korir.

Amongst the four, Wanyonyi has been tipped to battle for the title and in his interview after qualifying, he maintains that he will put in the work for the title.

“Last year I did not have the experience to compete at the senior level and in a championship but that is no longer the case. I am confident the title is within reach. It will take hard work and discipline in training to beat the best in the world next month,” Wanyonyi, who has run two world leads this season, said.

Being the defending champion would have meant Korir heads to Budapest as the man to beat but a somewhat disquieting 2023 season on the international front as well as the injury that saw him stay away from Kenyan trials are a worrying trend for the Paul Ereng-coached runner.