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L. MathekaTough battles expected as KDF holds three-day Championship
Reading Time: 3min | Sun. 16.05.21. | 15:26
The event guns off on Monday at Nyayo National Stadium
Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) athletes will on Monday, 17 May through to 19 May renew rivalries on the track as well as on the field as they line up for selection to represent the military at the national games.
KDF is holding its trials to select a team that will compete at the national Africa Senior Championships trials set for May 27-29. Athletics Kenya (AK) has elected to go on with the trials for the trials to the continental event despite the uncertainties surrounding it owing to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The first Athletics Kenya Track and First series concluded today at the Nyayo Stadium. The two-day event marked the start of preparations towards the Africa Senior Championships and Olympic Games. pic.twitter.com/BQigUYQPbd
— BARNABA KORIR OFFICIAL (@KorirOfficial) February 28, 2021
The continental event set for Algiers, Algeria has now been postponed twice having initially been planned for June 1-5 before it was moved to June 24-28 and later postponed indefinitely. The May event, set for Nyayo, will double up as a pre-trial to the Olympics.
The contest will see various barracks parade strong teams as campaigns for places heats up. The athletes will also be keen to get Olympics qualifying times.
"This event will serve as a qualifier to the national Africa Senior Championship trials. With the Olympics trials set for June 17-19 being on an invite-only basis, our athletes will also be keen to post impressive times to warrant an invite to the June event. All is set and we expect stiff competition in all the events," explained the event organisers.
Kenya Defence Forces emerged winners of the #AthleticsKenya National Athletics Championship cum Trials for Africa Athletics Championship.#KDF won 61 medals, @NPSOfficial_KE was second with 37 medals and the third place went to @kenyaprisons Service who got 17 medals. #UlinziDaima pic.twitter.com/zZhPCc22AI
— Kenya Defence Forces (@kdfinfo) June 23, 2018
Tough battles are expected in all events. In 400m, national champion Alphas Kishoyian who is returning to action since competing in the World Athletics Continental Tour in October last year will have to content with Jared Momanyi, who won the Continental Tour 400m race and has been active throughout the season, taking part in the AK weekend meets among others. Other expected in the lineup are Joseph Pogisho and Thika's Cleophas Kipruto.
Kishoiyan Lit Kasarani!
— Gilbert Koech (@koechspoti) July 4, 2019
After comfortably romping home 45:40 in 400m, the talented sprinter #AlphasKishoiyan iced the cake by firing up Kasarani stadium when he steered MAB team to a win in relays, picking the baton on fourth place at #KDF athletics. pic.twitter.com/QBUp4qjMSb
In 200 m, World Relays 4x 200m silver medalist Mike Mokamba is expected in action with his close contenders being Kishoyian, in the event he lines up in the race, 100m specialists Samwel Chege and Gilbert Otieno, among others.
World shuttle relay bronze medalist Priscilla Tabunda will be one to watch in the 100m hurdles as she looks to wrestle the title from Jerioth Gathogo who won the title in 2019. William Mbevi, Brian Musyoka and Vincent Tarus are expected to renew rivalries in the men's 110m hurdles.
In field events, Alexander Kiprotich and Salome Moraa will be the athletes to beat in won javelin, having won the 2019 meets after throwing 72.78m and 47.17m in men and women respectively.
In women's walking race Emily Ngii and Grace Wanjiru are expected to renew their rivalry. Ngii ended Wanjiru's dominance in 20km walk, winning the 2019 edition of the KDF competition. In men’s race, Simon Wachira will be the man to beat.
