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L. MathekaSyombua hoping to inspire team Kenya to Olympics relay
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Reading Time: 2min | Tue. 27.04.21. | 09:31
Team Kenya will be looking to hit qualifying standards for the Olympics in the 4x400m men and women relay and 4x400m mixed relay.
National 400m women's record holder Hellen Syombua is hoping to inspire team Kenya to qualifying for the Olympics I both the 4x400m women as well as the mixed Relays.
Syombua leads a strong field of Kenya sprinters who leave the country on Tuesday, April 26, evening for Silesia, Poland where 36 Kenyan athletes are set to represent the country in the May 1 and 2 scheduled World Relay Championships.
#TeamKenya ready for World Athletics Relay assignments @WASilesia21 They jet out on Tuesday. @moscakenya@WorldAthletics@AMB_A_Mohammed pic.twitter.com/AfvZcsWONP
— Athletics Kenya (@athletics_kenya) April 24, 2021
"I had pulled my hamstring in the last Athletics Kenya(AK) meet but I have since recovered and I am in my best form. My teammates and I have worked on my speed and I believe the team selected to represent the country in Poland will do a good job. My biggest desire is to see all the three teams that have a chance to qualify for the Tokyo Games do so in style. I might have qualified for Tokyo in the individual race but my joy will be seeing more sprinters getting the chance to be at the Olympics," Syombua said.
The three teams need to manage a top-eight finish in the finals as that will assured them of a slot to Tokyo Games.
"In my last appearance at the World Relays we managed a medal in the mixed relay. We have put on the work in camp and our target is to bring more medals home from this event. The Olympics slots and more medals remain our motivation going to Poland," she added.
Syombua had a good season in 2019 where, in addition to anchoring Kenya’s team to a bronze medal in mixed relay at the World Relay Championships, she also earned a slot to compete at the World Championships in Doha, Qatar. It was also the year she set her personal best in the 400m distance, at 51.09 to hand her a ticket to the postponed Olympics.
Impressive lap from Hellen Syombua gives Kenya bronze in the 4x400 Mixed Relay #IAAFWorldRelays pic.twitter.com/ayie7g0TUw
— ndegwakg (@ndegwakg) May 12, 2019
Kenya is already in the medal bracket in the shuttle hurdles relay as they will only face hosts Poland and Germany in the event following the withdrawal of Jamaica.
Kenya will field teams in 4x200m and 4x400m relay men and women, 4x400m mixed relay, 2x2x400m mixed relay and shuttle hurdles relays.
4x400m women
Mary Moraa
Hellen Syombua
Veronica Mutua
Gladys Nthenya
Joan Cherono
4x400m mixed relays
Eglay Nalianya
Sylvia Chesebe
Hellen Syombua
Mary Moraa
Emmanuel Korir
Emmanuel Mutua
Stanley Kieti
Aron Koech
