The highs and lows of athletics in 2022

2022 was a year that saw athletics in Kenya triumph and fall in equal measure. With the calendar turned to 2023, Mozzart Sport is looksback at the iconic athletic moments of the past 12 months.

The rise and rise of Omanyala

Kenyans have long dominated the long-distance running podium, but now Ferdinand Omanyala hopes to inspire a new generation of runners and transform Kenya into a 'sprinting nation.'

Omanyala makes world athletics top ten after stellar 2022

After securing multiple victories in 2022, the 26-year-old is setting a good example. Omanyala was the first man to finish the men's 100 meters at the World Athletics Continental Tour in May 2022. He won first place in the 100m again in June after a photo finish at the African Athletic Championships. He also gave Kenya its first gold medal in the 100m in 60 years at the 2022 Commonwealth Games.

The successful hosting of county marathons and races

Marathons can be classified as sport tourism events. They contribute to a country's national and international influence, economic development, and cultural exchange and spread. Marathons also boost a county's vitality and encourage residents to participate and be healthy.

Some counties, such as Uasin Gishu (Eldoret City Marathon), Elgeyo Marakwet (Iten International Marathon), and Nakuru (Nakuru City Marathons), set the trend last year by hosting marathons that also unearthed talents.

Marathons such as the Uhuru Classic Nairobi City Marathon, the StanChart Marathon, and the Nairobi City Marathons have also contributed significantly to the growth of athletics.

Kenyan athletes dominated in all major marathons

Kenyan athletes made history yet again, by securing a clean sweep in 2022. World record holder Eliud Kipchoge triumphed in Berlin and Tokyo, while Evans Chebet shone in Boston and New York. Amos and Benson Kipruto won in London and Chicago, respectively.

Eliud Kipchoge retains Berlin title

On September 25, 2022, the greatest of all time, Eliud Kipchoge, won the 2022 Berlin Marathon in a world record time of 2:01:09. His previous world record of 2:01:39 set in 2018 was broken by 30 seconds. This was his fourth victory in Berlin and his 17th overall in 19 marathon attempts.

Kenyan athletes nominated for major awards

Kenya's 800m youngster Emmanuel Wanyonyi was nominated for the World Athletics 2022 Men's Rising Star Award, Eliud Kipchoge was nominated for the World Athlete of the Year Award, and Faith Cherotich and Jackline Chepkoech were nominated for the World Athletics 2022 Women's Rising Star Award.

Here are the lows and areas that are giving Athletics Kenya nightmares

Kenya loses bid to host the 2025 World Athletics Championships

Kenya's hopes of hosting the senior World Athletics Championships in 2025 were dashed when Athletics Kenya announced that Tokyo would host the event. Kenya had bid to host the 2025 showpiece alongside The Polish City of Silesia, Singapore, and Japan, and was confident of success after hosting the World U-18 Championships in 2018, the World U-20 Championships in 2021, and three editions of the Kip Keino Classic, a leg of the World Athletics Continental Gold Tour.

However, according to World Athletics, there were 'challenges' surrounding the stadium in Kenya, which required extensive refurbishment, as well as the timeframe and amount of resources required to do so.

This means Africa will have to wait even longer to host the most prestigious athletics event in the world.

The sorry state of stadia in the country

Since sports became a devolved function controlled at the county level, the number of stadia and sports infrastructure has increased. Gusii Stadium, Narok Stadium, and Afraha Stadium are among the stadia that have been successfully renovated.

However, the construction of some stadiums has been going at a snail’s pace, causing athletic activities to be hampered.

For example, in the North Rift, which is the source of athletes, both national and county governments have sunk more than sh175 million into sports projects that are now eyesores after contractors abandoned them. Kipchoge Keino Stadium, Kamariny Stadium, and the Chagaiya High Altitude Training Camp in Tarakwa, which was supposed to house nearly 300 athletes, are still under construction, and the abandoned sites have turned into grazing sites for livestock.

However, In Nandi County, a Sh100 million training camp that was established in honor of world record marathon holder Eliud Kipchoge, who hails in the county, is almost complete.

Rise of doping cases

Kenya is in the grip of a doping crisis, which has put the country on the verge of being barred from all international athletics competitions by World Athletics, the world's governing body of athletics. This is likely to reverse Kenya's gains in the sport, where runners earn millions of shillings in cash prizes for finishing on the podium.

Kenya escapes athletics ban but hard work to clean tainted image awaits

Athletics Kenya has already made a bold move by expressing concerns about athletes breaking rules, but what is most important at this point is for sports officials to re-evaluate Kenya's direction as an athletics powerhouse. Kenya's stellar athletic performance could be jeopardized if the widespread use of performance-enhancing drugs is not curtailed.

Perhaps it is past time for the Ministry of Sports to educate athletes on the dangers of using banned doping substances.

Losing the 3000m steeplechase title

The history of the 3000m steeplechase would be incomplete without mentioning the Kenyan-born legends who have brought the country so much glory by dominating major international events.

Yet another season of Kenya's steeplechase strangulation

Steeplechasers such as triple world champion Ezekiel Kemboi, 1992 Olympic champion Matthew Birir, 2000 Olympic champion Reuben Kosgei, and 2008 Olympic bronze medalist Richard Mateelong, among others, have established Kenya as a global race giant.

Kenya, on the other hand, relinquished its 3000m steeplechase world title at the World Championships (July 2022) in Oregon after Olympic champion Soufine El Bakkali dethroned Conseslus Kipruto in the men's title, while Celliphine Chespol faded to 13th place.

The onus is now squarely on Jackline Chepkoech and Faith Cherotich to reclaim Kenya's steeplechase glory.