Rono targets U-20, Olympics qualification

Africa 3000m junior bronze medalist Gideon Rono has his sight set on making the Kenya team to the Tokyo Olympics games set for July 23 to August 8 in Japan and the World Under 20 athletics set to run on August 17-22 at Nyayo National Stadium, just a week after the Summer Games. 

Now competing in 5000m, the form four student at Sinonin secondary school who trains under the Torongo Athletics camp in Baringo says his training is going on well and his recent success at both the 5000m and the cross country is a testament to the work he is putting in to ensure he does not miss out on a slot to the two global events.

“My mind is set on qualification to the World Under 20 championships and Olympics later in the year and I have worked hard to ensure that dream comes true. I have to balance between training and school but I am managing well. I training early morning before heading to school and then late in the evening,” said Rono who is set to sit his Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examination from March 26.

At the first Athletics Kenya (AK) series meet held at Nyayo over the weekend. Rono left nothing to chance as he ran a race of his life to beat Commonwealth 10,000m, bronze medalist, Rodgers Kwemoi to the 5000m title in a time of 13:21.2 as Kwemoi clocked 13:21.8.

Kwemoi, Rono and Daniel Simuyu who finished third in a time of 13:29.6 ran in the same heat, the fastest of the three final heats ran to determine the winner of the race. The three had kept a neat pack, exchanging leads at will but on the bell, Rono and Kwemoi out-sprinted the already exhausted Simiyu.

It was still anyone’s race for the first 150m of the final lap but Rono opened a gap at the 200m bend and held on as Kwemoi kept chase. Rono’s finishing kick was his saving grace as he managed to outpace Kwemoi for the win.

“I was mentally prepared for this race and the opposition did not matter. I was ready for a win and I held on even when the competition was tough. Even in the final lap when anyone between the three of us could have won, I had set my mind to doing my best to carry the day. It did not bother me that I was up against seasoned athletes as I had faith in my preparations for this meet,” said Rono.

The youngster is fresh from winning the Under-20 8km race at the national cross country championships held at the Ngong racecourse a fortnight ago in a time of 24:43.6. He had also won the Discovery Kenya Cross country two weeks before that.