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

Athletics Kenya, on Saturday 8 July, named a strong team that will represent the country at this year’s World Championships slated for 19 to 27 August in Budapest Hungary.

After a two-day trial event held at Nyayo, the panel of selectors named 57 athletes, 32 men and 25 women, including the marathon and race-walking teams that were not part of the weekend trials.

Of the 57, ten are yet to hit qualifying times and will either have to do so in the next 21 days, as the window closes on 30 July, or wait on World Athletics to confirm their participation based on the world ranking quota.

Cheruiyot to lead strong 1500m team in Budapest

Emily Ngii, the 20km African race-walking champion, has her ticket courtesy of her area champion tag but that is subject to World Athletics approval as well.

Athletes are able to qualify for the World Championships by achieving an entry standard or through their placing on the world rankings. The qualification period for the marathon and 35km race walk opened on 1 December 2021 and ended on 30 May 2023.

For the 10,000m, 20km race walk and combined events, the window run from 31 January 2022 until 30 July 2023. For all other disciplines, the qualification period was 31 July 2022 to 30 July 2023.

Defending world champions, winners of the 2022 Diamond League, World Race Walking Tour and World Combined Events Tour winners as well as the leading hammer performers on the Continental Tour get wild cards.

Area champions in selected disciplines and subject to certain conditions, top-five finishers at Platinum Label marathons during the qualification period and winners of Gold Label marathons held in 2023 are all considered as having achieved the entry standard.

While Ngii is relatively safe, some big names in Kenya’s Athletics risk missing out on the Hungarian games should they fail to secure the times.

Top of the list is Olympics 800m silver medalist and 2019 world bronze medalist Ferguson Rotich who, against all odds managed 1:44.71 for third place during the trials to secure his place in Team Kenya. The qualifying standards are set at 1:44.70.

Joining him in the ‘to qualify’ list is 2021 World U20 bronze medalist in steeplechase, Simon Koech who clocked 8:22.55 to win the trials but will need to run 8:15.00, the qualifying time, before the deadline to feature.

Meanwhile, African championships and world relays silver medalists Naomi Korir who finished third in the trials, timing 2:01.87 behind Peninah Mutisya’s 1:59.55 and Vivian Kiprotich’s 2:00.30 will need to run 1:59.80 before the deadline to join Team Kenya.

The top two finishers, alongside Commonwealth Games champion who has a wild card courtesy of her Diamond League victory, Mary Moraa, make the rest of the 800m women’s team for the Budapest show.

The other seven athletes are set to represent the country in the 4x400m men’s relays and mixed relays. The men’s team led by Commonwealth Games 800m champion Wycliffe Kinyamal, Kennedy Kimeu, national champion Zablon Ekwam and Kevin Tauta will be joined by Mercy Oketch, Maureen Thomas and Millicent Ndoro in the mixed relays should they qualify.

 Team Kenyan

100m men – Ferdinand Omanyala

400m men – Boniface Mweresa

400mhurdles men – Wiseman Were

800m women – Mary Moraa, Peninah Mutisya, Vivian Chebet

800m men – Emmanuel Korir, Emmanuel Wanyonyi, Alex Ng’eno, Ferguson Rotich

1500m women – Faith Kipyegon, Nelly Chepchirchir, Brenda Chebet, Edina Jebitok

1500m men – Timothy Cheruiyot, Reynold Kipkorir, Abel Kipsang

3000m steeplechase – Jackline Chepkoech, Faith Cherotich, Beatrice Chepkoech

30000m steeplechase men – Abraham Kibiwott, Leonard Bett, Simon Koech

5,000m women – Beatrice Chebet, Faith Kipyegon, Lilian Kasait, Margaret Chelimo

5000m men – Nicholas Kimeli, Jacob Krop, Daniel Simiu Ebenyo, Cornelius Kemboi

10,000m women – Irene Kimais, Agnes Jebet, Grace Loibach

10,000m men – Nicholas Kimeli, Bernard Kibet, Kibiwott Kandie

20km racing walk – Samuel Gathimba, Emily Ngii

Javelin – Julius Yego

Marathon women – Rosemary Wanjiru Sally Chepyego, Betty Chepkwony, Margaret Wangari

Marathon men – Titus Kipruto, Timothy Kiplagat, Joshua Kabelech, Michael Githae Mugo