• “Moraa and Ekwam are not here, but we’re a solid team. We are strong and confident enough to reach the finals,” said Mweresa, a 2015 All-African Games silver medalist."
• The team, which has been under the tutelage of Geoffrey Kimani and Pascaline Jelagat, left the country for the Miramas camp on Tuesday night accompanied by other sprinters, Wiseman Were (400m hurdles) and Ekwam (400m).
Image: FILE
The Kenya 4x400m mixed relay team has vowed to punch above their weight in their quest for Olympic glory.
Kenya sealed Olympic qualification during last month's trials after clocking 3:11.88, ranking 16th (within the Olympic quota of 16 teams).
Athletics Kenya (AK) named Boniface Mweresa, Veronica Mutua, David Sanayek, Mercy Chebet, Kelvin Tauta and Maureen Thomas in the final squad.
In an interview, Mweresa warned other nations to underrate them at their peril as they boost the fastest time in Africa.
"We are not walking into the competition as underdogs. We are title contenders. We have the 11th fastest time in the world and the fastest in Africa. That speaks volumes in terms of our resolve," said Mweresa, the 2015 All-African Games silver medallist.
Kenya's time during the Olympic Trials (3:11.88) is ranked 11th globally and the highest among African nations. Nigeria (3:12.87) and South Africa (3:13.12) follow in positions 15 and 19 respectively.
In Paris, Kenya and Nigeria will be the sole African representatives.
Mweresa, 30, will be making his second appearance at the global showpiece having featured in the London Olympics in 2012.
“I participated in the 4x400m men's event at the 2012 London Olympics. The difference with this year's Olympics is that the athletes are faster," he added.
At the 2012 Olympics, Mweresa alongside Vincent Kiilu, Boniface Mucheru and Alphas Kishoyian were disqualified in Round 1 of the 4x400m men's relay event. Bahamas (2:56.72), USA (2:57.05) and Trinidad and Tobago (2:59.40) claimed the podium finishes.
He also highlighted that the Olympic experience will be an added advantage for the team. "Having participated in the Olympics, the experience will be an added advantage. The other athletes have also competed against other Olympians and have defeated them and so they know what it takes," he added.
Recent successes at the African Senior Championships will bolster their confidence.
“Our performance at the recently concluded Africa Championships speaks to our intent of wanting to produce a good performance for the country,” he noted.
The men’s team (Mweresa, Ekwam, Kelvin Kipkorir, and Sanayek) won silver with a time of 3:02.34, while the women’s team (Mutua, Joan Cherono, Esther Mbagari, and Chebet) secured bronze in 3:32.65.
Working on baton exchange and improving their speed and endurance will be key to their success in Paris.
"We want to work on our speed as well as the baton handling. Building endurance is also key because relays are a two-day event and the body has to be up to the task," Mweresa stated.
The 4x400m mixed relay heats begin on August 2, with the finals on August 3.
National400m champion Tauta emphasised the team’s resolve to reach the finals as well as secure a podium finish.
“We’ll fight till the last minute to ensure we’re in the finals. Then, we’ll aim for a medal,” Tauta stated.
Mutua highlighted their goals of improving their time and qualifying for the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo.
“We aim to lower our time from 3:11 at the Olympics and qualify for next year’s World Championships,” she said. Mutua acknowledges the pressure on debutants.
“There is a lot of pressure that comes with being on the global stage. This is also my first Olympic appearance and so there are some nerves,” she noted.
The team which has been under the tutelage of Geoffrey Kimani and Pascaline Jelagat left the country for the Miramas camp on Tuesday night accompanied by other sprinters, Wiseman Were (400m hurdles) and Ekwam (400m).
Maureen Thomas explained that the early departure was to enable the team to acclimatise to the weather in France as well as sharpen their talons ahead of the Olympics.
“The aim of leaving early for Miramas is to acclimatise to the weather conditions in France as well as begin early preparations for the Olympics,” she noted.