Mark Otieno's rigorous strategy for medaling at Commonwealth Games
Reading Time: 3min | Sun. 22.03.26. | 15:06
A three-time national 100m record holder, Otieno has intensified his preparations, fine-tuning his speed, endurance, and race tactics as he eyes competition in both the 100m and 200m this season
Former 100m national record holder Mark Otieno believes a deliberate weight loss of seven kilograms could be the missing piece in his quest for a podium finish at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland.
The global event is slated for Thursday, 23 July to Sunday, 2 August.
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The sprinter has set his sights on a packed 2026 campaign, targeting qualification for key events including the World Relays, the African Athletics Championships, and ultimately the Commonwealth Games.
A three-time national 100m record holder, Otieno has intensified his preparations, fine-tuning his speed, endurance, and race tactics as he eyes competition in both the 100m and 200m this season.
The 200m specialist, who boasts a personal best of 20.41 seconds, is optimistic about lowering that mark, though he remains cautious about setting a specific timeline.
His immediate focus shifts to the World Relays set for Thursday, 2 to Friday, 3 April in Gaborone, Botswana, before attention turns to the African Championships in Ghana in May. National trials for both competitions are expected later this month.
At the heart of his renewed optimism is a major lifestyle and training overhaul, one that has seen him shed significant weight after years of competing above his ideal range.
“I have been running overweight for the past five years, and I have been checking the past few years, especially after I came back from my ban, and one thing I concluded is that I did not work hard enough,” Otieno told Mozzart Sport.
“But failure is feedback, and it made me see 2026 in a new vision,” he continued.
That realisation sparked a complete reset in his approach.
“I sat down with my coach, and we had to rearrange everything and do things from scratch, not the way we normally do, now build everything strongly.
I have lost a lot of weight, and I can say it’s hard, but this season looks promising for me,” he said.
Otieno revealed that he is now back to the weight he carried during one of the best phases of his career, when he qualified for the Olympics, and believes that could translate into improved performances on the track.
“I am back to the weight I used to run when I qualified for the Olympics. This time, I am hoping to run a personal best and medal in the Commonwealth Games as well,” he added.
The numbers tell a compelling story. Previously weighing around 85 kilograms, Otieno felt the extra bulk was limiting his efficiency and speed. Now fluctuating between 79 and 80 kilograms, he feels lighter, quicker, and better conditioned.
“I realised that 85kgs was too heavy for me. When I ran 10.05, I was 80kgs, and I felt light and small enough to carry my weight, so I worked hard to reduce by around 7kgs.
Right now, I am playing around 80 and 79, which is a very good thing for me,” he explained.
