• Kenyans have dominated the 800m at the past four Olympics. Wilfred Bungei started the streak, winning in 1:44.90 at Beijing 2008.
• Kenya’s 800m squad in Paris will feature Wanyonyi, 2018 Commonwealth champion Kinyamal, and Koitatoi Kidali.
Image: TEDDY MULEI
National athletics coach Julius Kirwa believes Keny will be the country to beat in the men's 800m despite the recent setbacks at the Paris Diamond League and last year’s World Championships.
Kenya will be chasing the fifth consecutive Olympic title in Paris.
Two weeks ago, Algeria’s Djamel Sedjati triumphed at the Paris meeting with a world-leading time of 1:41.56, narrowly beating World U20 record holder Emmanuel Wanyonyi to second place in 1:41.58.
France’s Gabriel Tual completed the podium in 1:41.61 while Aaron Cheminingwa and Wycliffe Kinyamal placed fourth and fifth in identical times of 1:42.08.
Canadian Marco Arop won the world title ( 1:44.24) last year in Budapest, Hungary, edging out Wanyonyi (1:44.53) for the title. finishing in 1:44.24. Great Britain’s Ben Pattison rounded out the podium in 1:44.83.
Kirwa, however, remains adamant that the results from the two championships will count for nothing as Kenyans target of a fifth title.
“The results from Paris are not a cause for concern. The athletes are well-prepared and we are on course for our fifth successive title at the Olympics,” he remarked.
Kenyans have dominated the 800m at the past four Olympics. Wilfred Bungei started the streak, winning in 1:44.90 at Beijing 2008.
David Rudisha followed it up with a record-breaking performance in London 2012 (1:40.91 WR) and Rio 2016 (1:42.15).
Emmanuel Korir continued the legacy at the delayed Tokyo 2020 Olympics, winning in 1:45.06, with Ferguson Rotich (1:45.23) and Poland’s Patryk Dobek (1:45.39) completing the podium.
Should Kenya win gold in Paris, it will be the first nation to claim five consecutive titles in the men’s 800m at the Olympics.
The nation also sits second in terms of gold medals at the Olympics, with six gold medals, behind the USA who have eight gold medals.
Kenya’s 800m squad in Paris will feature Wanyonyi, 2018 Commonwealth champion Kinyamal and Koitatoi Kidali.
Kirwa is confident in their preparation despite tough competition from Canada and Algeria.
“We train our athletes to win, not based on who they’ll face at the Olympics. I’m confident they will prevail,” he added.
Kirwa also emphasised the importance of collaboration between the athletes’ coaches and the Athletics Kenya (AK) assigned coaches.
“The personal coaches work hand in hand with the federation coaches, ensuring athletes meet training targets. This strategy is crucial for our success in Paris,” he said.
“With that strategy, the athletes have been able to achieve the targets of the coaches in training and it is crucial going into the Olympics,” he added.
The coaches assigned to the Olympic-bound team include Kirwa, David Letting, Japheth Kemei and Bernard Ouma.
Kinyamal and Wanyonyi are training in Eldoret while Kidali has camped at the Nyayo Stadium. Kirwa also highlighted the positive atmosphere in the training camp.
“There is a happy mood around the camp with high expectations from all partners. Every athlete we are preparing is already a winner,” he stated.