Paris Olympics: Gold rush for Team Kenya on Super Saturday

Team Kenya will have big expectations of adding to their medal count on Saturday night when the finals of the women’s 1500m, men’s 800m and 5000m come calling on the last day of track athletics at the Stade de France.

All events, ironically, in the case of all wins, will carry much significance for the nation.

Women’s 1500m

The best place to start would be in the women’s 1500m final (9:15 PM), where the impressive Faith Kipyegon will look to earn her three-peat in the distance, following her wins in Rio 2016 and Tokyo three years ago.

The World record holder, who already has a medal at the Paris Olympics following her second-place finish in the women’s 5000m final on Monday, will be flanked by fellow Kenyan Susan Ejore, as she hopes to become the first lady to defend her 1500m title back-to-back.

Having coasted in her respective heats, Kipyegon will once again be in the spotlight when comes to a collision course with Ethiopia’s Gudaf Tsegay, who affected her rhythm in the 5000m final.

Paris Olympics: Another Faith Kipyegon vs Gudaf Tsegay battle in 1500m women's final

Ejore, meanwhile, will seek to continue with her fine form at her debut Olympic Games, having recorded a personal best time of 3:56.57 in her semifinal heat.

Ethiopia’s Diribe Welteji and Australia’s Jessica Hall will provide the opposition, but it will take a lot more to stop Kipyegon.

Men’s 800m

Kenya will seek to claim a fifth consecutive men’s 800m crown at the Olympic Games when the race guns off at 8:15 PM.

Carrying the nation’s hopes will be world silver medalist Emmanuel Wanyonyi, who is seeking his first major triumph at his Summer Games debut.

The 20-year-old has over the week looked seamless and controlled the pace in both of his heats to book a place in one of the most studded finals on Saturday.

Paris Olympics: Wanyonyi brave ahead of Sedjati sequel as Kinyamal offers winning strategy

Holding the mark of being the second best-runner this season, Wanyonyi will face a huge test in the nature of world leader Djamel Sedjati of Algeria, and reigning world champion Marco Arop, who also dominated their heats.

With so many eyes on their respective strategies and possibly a chance at breaking the world record set in 2012, Wanyonyi will seek to join David Rudisha, Wilfred Bungei, and Emmanuel Korir in bringing the title where it belongs.

Men’s 5000m final

And now to a race that hasn’t seen a Kenyan flag on the top step since 1988, the nation’s trio of Jacob Krop, Ronald Kwemoi, and Edwin Kurgat will target the top prize in the men’s 1500m event, gunning off at 8:50 PM.

Kenya’s sole Olympic gold medal in the men’s 5000m was won by John Ngugi back in 1988, long before the three Kenyan 5000m entrants at the Paris 2024 edition of the Olympics had been born.

And after booking their way to the final, many will hope that they take advantage of the absence of the Ugandan duo of Joshua Cheptegei and Jacob Kiplimo and hopefully clinch a medal.

The last time the country won an Olympic medal in the race was in London, when Thomas Longosiwa bagged bronze.