• Key highlights include the 800m duo of African Games silver medalist Kipngetich Ngeno and Nicholas Kiplagat.
• Three-time national champion Esther Mbagari will highlight the women’s 100m and 200m joined by Monica Safania (100m) and Eunice Kadogo (200m).
Image: TEDDY MULEI
Athletics Kenya has unveiled a squad of 59 athletes (26 female and 33 male) for the African Senior Championships on June 21-26 in Douala, Cameroon.
The athletes will commence residential training camp on Thursday and are instructed to report to Riadha House for guidance at 3 pm on the same day.
“The team will report for residential training camp on Thursday. The athletes are also required to report at Riadha House on Thursday at 3 pm,” the statement read.
Guiding the team will be national head coach Julius Kirwa and AK National Police Service affiliate chairman Stephen Etyang.
“The team will be led by Etyang, chairman AK National Police Service and the national head coach Kirwa,” the statement read.
Key highlights include the 800m duo of African Games silver medallist Kipng'etich Ng'eno and Nicholas Kiplagat.
Ng'eno, fresh off his national championship win with a time of 1:45.01, will look to fend off Kiplagat, who finished just behind him in 1:45.46.
Kiplagat will seek to upgrade his silver medal from the previous edition.
During the 22nd edition of the championships in 2022 in Mauritius, Kiplagat placed second in 1:46.43 behind Algeria’s Slimane Moula (1:45.59).
In the women’s 400m, Veronica Mutua and Mercy Chebet will spearhead the charge.
Mutua clinched bronze in Mauritius, clocking 52.79 behind Zambia’s Niddy Mingilishi (52.36) and South Africa’s Charlene Miranda (51.82).
At the national championships, Mutua placed third (52.60) behind Gladys Jepkemboi (52.13) and Chebet (51.81).
Julius Yego, the 2016 Olympic silver medallist in men’s javelin, is set to defend his title, joined by Methuselah Kiprop.
During the last edition, Yego threw 79.62m for gold with Egypt’s Ihab Abdelrahman (77.12m) and South Africa’s Phil-Mar Van Rensburg (74.10m) sealing the podium.
Yego threw 81.21m at the national championships, beating Kiprop (74.21) and Alexander Kiprotich (73.16m).
Leading the assault in the men’s 1,500m is African Games champion Brian Komen, accompanied by 2017 Africa U20 silver medallist Boaz Kiprugut.
Three-time national sprints champion Esther Mbagari will highlight the women’s 100m and 200m joined by Monica Safania (100m) and Eunice Kadogo (200m).
Team Kenya
100m women
Esther Mbagari
Monica Safania
100m men
Meshack Babu
Mark Otieno
100m hurdles women
Rukia Nusra
200m women
Esther Mbagari
Eunice Kadogo
200m men
Mike Mokamba
Samuel Chege
400m women
Mercy Chebet
Veronica Mutua
400m men
Kelvin Tauta
Kelvin Kipkorir
400m hurdles women
Venice Kerubo
Rahab Wanjiru
400m hurdles men
Kipkorir Rotich
Edward Ngunjiri
800m women
Lilian Odira
Sarah Moraa
800m men
Kipngetich Ngeno
Nicholas Kiplagat
1500m women
Mary Ekiru
Caroline Nyaga
1500m men
Brian Komen
Boaz Kiprugut
5000m women
Mercy Chepkemoi
Teresiah Muthoni
5000m men
Levi Kibet
Stanley Waithaka
10000m women
Gladys Kwamboka
Emmy Jepkemoi
10000m men
Roncer Konga
Joseph Kiptum
3000m steeplechase women
Mercy Wanjiru
Leah Jeruto
3000m steeplechase men
Edmund Serem
Collins Kiprop
Mathew Kosgei
20km race walk women
Margaret Gati
20km race walk men
Heristone Wafula
High jump women
Zeddy Jesire
High Jump men
Asbel Kiprop
Long Jump men
Edwin Kimutai
Triple Jump men
Gilbert Pkemoi
Isaac Kirwa
Discuss women
Caroline Cherotich
Roseline Nyanchama
Javelin men
Julius Yego
Methuselah Kiprop