L. MathekaBudapest23: Kipngetich sets sight on podium finish in 800
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Reading Time: 2min | Mon. 17.07.23. | 18:27
Kenya has not won back-to-back titles on men's 800m at the world championships since Paul Ruto won in 1993 adding to Konchela's two titles.
Former World U20 Championships silver medalist Alex Ngeno Kipngetich is banking on his good form ahead of the World Athletics Championships slated for 19 to 27 August to deliver a medal for Kenya.
The national champion in the distance finished in second place behind another former junior world champion Emmanuel Wanyonyi during the trials to book an automatic place to Budapest.
The duo will be joined by Olympic champion Emmanuel Korir and silver medalist compatriot Ferguson Rotich, should he make the time before 30 July, in the race to defend the title that Korir won in Oregon last year.
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“Making the team was my dream since having that first experience in 2019 and I am happy to be readying for such a major championship.
When I missed the trials for the 2022 World Championship in Oregon, I took that as a challenge to do better this season and put myself in a position where I would get the opportunity to race this year.
As I prepare for action, I am very confident given that I won the national title this year and I beat some formidable opposition during the trials to book a place in Team Kenya,” Ngeno offered.
Kipngetich believes that with a formidable line up that will represent Kenya in the distance, Kenya stands the chance to bag back-to-back titles. The last time that happened was in 1991 when Billy Konchela defended his title from1987 in Rome with victory in Tokyo,1991.
Paul Ruto made it a three-peat when he triumphed in Stuttgart, 1993, Kenya is yet to dominate the distance at the world championships since.
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 Korir in 2022.
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