Kenyan race walker on how army training helped secure Commonwealth Games slot
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Reading Time: 3min | Sat. 27.06.26. | 17:02
The KDF athlete surged clear of his long-time rival Samuel Gathimba, who settled for second in 39:45.4, while Heristone Wanyonyi completed the podium in 40:59.7
Kenya's sole race-walking representative at the 2026 Commonwealth Games, Stephen Ndangiri, has credited the Kenya Defense Forces (KDF) for instilling the resilience and mental toughness that have fueled his rise to the top of the discipline.
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Ndangiri booked his place in Team Kenya for Glasgow after producing a commanding display at the Athletics Kenya National Championships and Commonwealth Games trials, winning the men's 10,000m race walk in 39:14.0.
The KDF athlete surged clear of his long-time rival Samuel Gathimba, who settled for second in 39:45.4, while Heristone Wanyonyi completed the podium in 40:59.7.
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"Training in the KDF motivates me. I have been trained to work in all challenges, pressure, and all types of setbacks. Joining the KDF has really taught me a lot because that is where the fighting spirit comes from. We never lose; we don't lose,” Ndangiri said.
Beyond sealing Commonwealth Games qualification, the victory carried added significance as Ndangiri restored the national title to KDF for the first time since 2014, ending Kenya Prisons' decade-long dominance in the event.
Gathimba had established himself as the dominant force in Kenyan race walking in recent years, winning every national title since 2022. Last year, the veteran successfully defended his crown in 1:25:37 ahead of Ndangiri, who clocked 1:27:33.
Determined to reverse that trend, Ndangiri entered this year's championships with one clear objective.
"Since 2014, the gold in the race walk has always gone to Kenya Prisons. So, it was our time; we needed to get it back home. Before Gathimba came into the picture, KDF often clinched the title.
So, it was my target and my mission to bring it back home. The gold is home, and now the challenge will be to maintain it,” he averred.
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The breakthrough did not happen by chance. Ndangiri revealed that the winning strategy was first tested at last month's African Championships in Accra, Ghana, where he adopted an aggressive front-running approach that left Gathimba struggling to keep pace.
The tactic paid off handsomely as Ndangiri claimed the silver medal in the 20km race walk in a personal best of 1:20:01, finishing behind Ethiopia's Misgana Wakuma, who won gold in 1:18:47. Gathimba finished seventh in 1:24:51.
"I have raced with Gathimba since 2023, and it was a challenge defeating him. I tried in Ghana, and it worked, so I maintained that winning formula," Ndangiri explained.
With the Commonwealth Games now on the horizon, the KDF walker has set ambitious goals, beginning with breaking the 39-minute barrier before shifting his focus to Gathimba's national 20km race walk record of 1:18:23.
"My first goal at the Commonwealth Games will be to do a sub-39, which I had done at the KDF Championships. The first goal will be a national record, and if possible, a national record will put me on the podium. Doing a 38 and a podium finish will be nice,” he said.
The 2026 Commonwealth Games represent another step in what Ndangiri believes has been a consistent upward trajectory in his international career.
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His confidence stems from a pattern of steady improvement, having finished ninth while setting a national record at the World Championships in Lima before securing silver in Ghana.
"A podium finish at the Commonwealth Games will be a continuous thing for me because I went to Lima for my first World Championships, where I did a national record and finished number nine," he said.
"After that, I promised myself that the next international competition, I would be on the podium. I did silver in Ghana, and it will be continuous progress.
I have never gone out of the country and come back home empty-handed. So, I have to maintain that,” he continued.
As he prepares for Glasgow, Ndangiri has identified the final areas that could elevate him from contender to medalist.
"I will improve my finishing speed and working in hot temperatures," he said.