Hungarian capital Budapest will host the 19th World Athletics Championships beginning this Saturday.
Kenya has deployed a potent contingent of 54 athletes to ply trade for the nation in a wide array of disciplines.
Athletics Kenya vice-president Paul Mutwii is predicting a bumper harvest for the East African athletics powerhouse, who has asserted authority on the global front for decades now.
“We have a brilliant team of athletes who are capable of delivering the highest number of medals in history,” Mutwii said before the team departed for the championships.
“We expect a good run, not only in the middle and long-distance races that the country has been known to dominate for many years, but also in the sprints — where our athletes have shown massive potential.”
His sentiments were echoed by Kenyan sprints sensation Ferdinand Omanyala who vowed to obliterate the rich field of renowned sprinters on his way to historic glory. Omanyala said he possesses the mojo to storm to the gold medal.
“I’ll be aiming for nothing short of a gold medal at the games. I’ve experienced an amazing season and my recent performances have given me the confidence I need heading into the world championships,” Omanyala said.
Team Kenya will begin their medal hunt on Day One of the championships with Samuel Gathimba opening the country’s campaign in the 20km racing walk final at 8:50am.
The men’s 3000m steeplechase triumvirate of Abraham Kibiwott, Leonard Bett, and Simon Koech will thereafter test their mettle against the rest of the world at 11:35am.
Kenya’s sprints sensation Ferdinand Omanyala is expected to kick off his 100m campaign in the preliminaries at around 12:35pm.
Next in action will be the women’s 1500m quartet of two-time Olympic champion Faith Kipyegon, Nelly Chepchirchir, Brenda Chebet, and Edina Jebitok, who will ply trade for the country over the distance at around 13:15pm.
The men’s 1500m team of Timothy Cheruiyot, Reynold Kipkorir, and Abel Kipsang will hold a forte for the country at 19:02pm. The women’s 10,000m final will be held at 20:55pm, where Kenya will be represented by Irene Kimais, Agnes Jebet and Grace Loibach.
Day Two will equally witness a beehive of activities in the Kenyan camp with Emily Ngii blazing the trail in the women’s 20km racing walk final at 7:15 am.
Wiseman Were is expected to take on his opponents in the preliminaries of the 400m hurdles at 11:25am. The semifinals of the men’s 100m will take place in the afternoon at around 16:35pm where Kenya again might feature if Omanyala breezes past the preliminaries on Day One. The finals will be held later at 19:10pm.
The semifinals of the women’s and men’s 1500m will be held at 17:05pm and 17:35pm respectively.
Kenya will line up Nicholas Kimeli, Bernard Kibet, and Ishmael Kipkurui in the men’s 10000m finals scheduled for 18:25pm.
Wiseman Were could be the only Kenyan in action on Day Three during the semifinals of the 400m hurdles, depending on how he performs in the heats.
Much of the action is scheduled for Day Four of the competition where Emmanuel Korir, Emmanuel Wanyonyi, Alex Ng’eno, and Ferguson Rotich will battle it out in the men’s 800m race at 7:20pm.
The finals of the women’s 1500m and the men’s 3000m steeplechase will be held at 21:30pm and 21:42 respectively.
Kenya’s 800m sensation Mary Moraa will headline the stellar list of compatriots Peninah Mutisya and Vivian Chebet in the preliminaries of the two-lap race that will mark the start of Day Five at 10:05am.
The much-anticipated showdown in the women’s 5000m race is been scheduled for 11:10am where the country will parade a star-studded cast comprising Beatrice Chebet, Kipyegon, Lilian Kasait, and Margaret Chelimo.
At 19:45pm, world record holder Beatrice Chepkoech will lead the Kenyan onslaught in the preliminaries of the women’s 3000m steeplechase where the country will also parade Jackline Chepkoech, Faith Cherotich.
Both the men’s 1500m and men’s 400m hurdles finals will be held later in the day at 21:15pm and 21:50pm respectively.
Kenya will be in action again on Day 6 where the quartet of Nicholas Kimeli, Jacob Krop, Daniel Simiu Ebenyo, and Cornelius Kemboi will attempt to navigate past Round One of the 5,000m race, scheduled for 19hrs. The semifinals of the men’s 800m are scheduled for 20:50pm.
Javelin sensation Julius Yego will embark on his campaign on Day Seven of the championships where his event has been scheduled for 10:10am and 11:45am.
Kenyan athletes might also be in action later in the day at 20:25pm in the semifinals of the women’s 800m race.
The women’s marathon final is set for planned for Day Eight of the competition where Rosemary Wanjiru, Sally Chepyego and Betty Chepkwonywill prominently feature for Kenya.
The men’s 800m final and the women’s 5000m final will be held later at 20:30pm and 20:50pm respectively with Kenya likely to enjoy significant representations in both races.
The men’s marathon will be held on the closing day of the competition where Kenya will be represented by Titus Kipruto, Timothy Kiplagat and Joshua Kabelech.
The men’s 5000m final will follow later at 20:10 before the women’s 800m and 3000m steeplechase finals at 20:45pm and 21:10pm respectively. Also lined up for the day is the men’s javelin throw final which will be held at 20:20pm.
As the World Athletics Championships Budapest draws closer, Kenyan athletes have thrown down the gauntlet with some exceptional performances.
Kenya has fielded athletes in every edition of the World Championships since its inception in 1983 and tucked away the second-highest number of gold medals after the USA.
Kenya’s statistics translate into 161 medals (62 gold, 55 silver, and 44 bronze), with men winning 102 medals (42 gold, 34 silver, and 26 bronze). Kenyan women have bagged 59 medals (20 gold, 21 silver, and 18 bronze).
The East African nation’s most successful year was during the Beijing 2015 World Championships where athletes stormed to seven gold, six silver, and three bronze medals.
As much as most of the medals have been won in the middle and long-distance events, the nation has successfully chartered new seas with Yego writing a new chapter in history as the first African to clinch the gold medal in the javelin.
Another milestone was set by the late Nicholas Bett, who ran away with the 400m hurdles title.
The 2015 Beijing edition also saw Kenya top the medals table for the first time in history.
Other than Yego and Bett, Kenya’a master class act was propelled by the legendary David Rudisha in the men’s 800m, Vivian Cheruiyot in the women’s 5000m, and Hyvin Kiyeng in the women’s 3000m steeplechase.
To date, Ezekiel Kemboi and Vivian Cheruiyot stand out as Kenya’s most decorated athletes with four gold medals apiece.
Kemboi boasts seven World Championships medals in his stellar career in the water and barriers race. He stormed to four consecutive gold medals from 2009 to 2015 and three silver medals won in 2003 to 2005.
Cheruiyot made it to the Hall of Fame after setting history as the second woman to win both the 5000m and 10,000m titles at the 2011 World Championships.
Moses Kiptanui — the first man to run the 3,000m steeplechase under eight minutes — swept three titles in 1991, 1993, and 1995 and silver during the 1997 edition.
Asbel Kiprop asserted authority at a whim in the 1500m during the 2011 championships in Daegu, South Korea as well as in Moscow in 2013 and in Beijing in 2015.
Five gold medals from Rome in 1987 went to Africa, with three of them being won by Kenya. Paul Kipkoech set the pace by becoming the first African world champion after dominating the men’s 10,000m, setting a then championship record of 27:38.63 in the process.
This year, the country will be counting on double world champion Kipyegon to bag the gold in both the 1500m and 5000m races. Kipyegon has experienced a splendid season, setting three world records in a span of 50 days.
