Mark Otieno celebrates Team Kenya return in style
Reading Time: 2min | Sun. 07.04.24. | 09:36
The sprinter is making up for lost time with his eyes firmly set on Paris Olympics
Former national 100m champion Mark Otieno, made his first national team call-up, after returning to competitive racing, on Saturday 6 April as Athletics Kenya selected their squad to the World Relays Championships in Nassau, Bahamas set for 4 to 5 May.
The 30-year-old won his semi-final heat in 10.36 to make the 4x100m squad that has African record holder and Commonwealth Games 100m champion Ferdinand Omanyala, Hesborn Ochieng, Mike Mokamba, Meshack Babu, and Samuel Chege.
— Mark Otieno Odhiambo (@MarkOtienoKe) April 6, 2024
Otieno is making up for lost time with his eyes firmly set on Paris Olympics where he will be making a debut in the Summer Games.
In what was to be a dream debut at the Olympic Games in Tokyo, Otieno was pulled off the track just before his opening heat, after his sample returned a positive test for Methasterone, which is a banned substance.
The father of one served his ban, returning to training in August last year. He has competed in the AK meets as well as indoors, his latest race before the national trials being at ASA Grand Prix in Johannesburg last week.
“I had a good race despite the weather. Given the rainy conditions, I am satisfied with the race and timings as I know in better weather I would have lowered that time. We have a strong squad to Bahama and I am confident we will do well,” he offered after the race.
The athlete took to social media to celebrate his return to donning the national colours with a photo of his family, intimating that it was restoring, achieving such in the presence of his family.
“Grateful is an understatement. Made my first National team in 2 years today in the presence of my family. My God is restoring. I bless His name forever,” he wrote.
