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L. MathekaTOKYO 2020: Olympic-bound Sawe refining his take-off
Reading Time: 2min | Thu. 01.07.21. | 11:50
Sawe will be making his debut at the Olympics stage as, despite having qualified for the 2016 Rio Games, his Olympics dream did not materialise then.
Two-time African high jump champions Mathew Sawe is heading to Hungary for the of the Gyulai István Memorial - Hungarian Athletics Grand Prix set for July 6.
The Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) athlete leaves the country early Friday, 2 July, morning for his training base in France where he will link up with his coach Moussa Fall before heading to Hungary for the competition.
“I am happy the wait is over for my confirmation for an Olympics slot. This began with a top 15 ranking and it kept fluctuating and in as much as I knew I had a good mark to qualify for the Summer Games, it was a nervous wait. I have been training and competing locally this season and this will be my first trip out of the country. I am in a good place in terms of fitness and for the next 20 days or so I will focus on my take off,” said Sawe.
Congratulations to #MathewSawe for attaining the @Tokyo2020 qualifying standard in Men's High Jump through the @WorldAthletics ranking System. He was ranked 24th by end of entry period https://t.co/ONdyAgvPxE... pic.twitter.com/YcKAA4sxza
— Athletics Kenya (@athletics_kenya) June 30, 2021
Sawe attained Tokyo 2020 qualifying standard for men’s High Jump through the World Athletics ranking System. By the close of the qualifying window on midnight of June 29, he was ranked 24th.
He had been out of action since competing at the World Athletics Continental Tour in October 2020 until he took part in the KDF annual meet held on May 17 to 19, finishing first with a 2.20 jump.
Olympics Track, Field and Marathon Squad
— Athletics Kenya (@athletics_kenya) June 19, 2021
Men’s 100m
Ferdinand Omanyala
Mark Otieno
Women’s 400m
Hellen Syombua
Men’s 400m
Emmanuel Korir
Men’s 400m Hurdles
Moitalel Mpoke
High Jump
Mathew Sawe
Javelin
Julius Yego
Two weeks later, he improved on that mark as he won the Athletics Kenya (AK) Olympics pre-trial with a 2.25m jump to finish ahead of training mate Asbel Kiprop. At the trial proper, Sawe managed a 2.20.
“My 2.28 mark at the Rabat Rabat Diamond League in 2019 was what they were using for the ranking. I also picked a few points from the Olympics trails. At the Olympics I will be eying a final berth from where I can work my way up. I am working towards improving my personal best of 2.30 at the Games,” added Sawe who celebrates his 32nd birthday on July 2.
Having missed the Rome and Doha diamond league legs that he had intended to use as p[art of his build up for the Games, the high jumper says he is looking to make one more leg of the series to help his preparations.
