Eliud Kipchoge in full flow in the 2004 Kenyan XC champs (© Njenga)
The day of reckoning has finally come for 88 men and 52 women fighting for at most 30 places in the Kenyan team for the Athens Olympics. The final national trials get underway in Nairobi tomorrow, Friday (25 June).
So far this season most of Kenya's finest have not met on a track, not even during the national championships last week. Everyone has been concentrating on the Olympic trials, even skipping lucrative international competition to concentrate on training or have opted for other events to help their build up to this crucial weekend.
Youth will have it's fling
In the background, at least two young athletes who are already in the residential training camp ahead of next month's World Junior Championships, are waiting in the wings with realistic ambitions to steal the thunder from the seniors.
As history has shown, juniors have tended to restore national glory at the hour of national need. For example, Amos Biwott in 1968 Olympics, Paul Ereng (Seoul, 800m), Matthew Birir (Barcelona, Steeple), Paul Ruto (Stuttgart, 800m), Joseph Keter (Atlanta, steeple), Reuben Kosgei (Sydney, steeple) and recently Eliud Kipchoge (Paris, 5000m).
Athletics Kenya has announced that the first two to cross the finish line will be automatic qualifiers for Athens and the third will be decided by the wild card rule which will tend to favour these juniors.
Kenya is ready to unleash the young talent of the world's leading steeplechaser this year Brimin Kipruto. The youngster will compete at the 1500 at the World Juniors but on Saturday will take on the seniors at the Steeplechase with the idea of booking a berth to Athens. His task will be formidable as he faces World championships silver medallist Ezekiel Kemboi.
World Youth champion at 3000m Augustine Choge is the other junior of note, and he will contest the 5000m. World 5000m champion Eliud Kipchoge, the world's third fastest this season at 1500m, will also be there to do battle with Abraham Chebii, African champion Sammy Kipketer, former World Cross short course champions John Kibowen and Benjamin Limo, and Paul Bitok among others.
Kamathi heads potential Athens podium contenders
Charles Kamathi, 2001 World 10,000m champion, has moved back to this event after competing in the 5000m recently to work on his speed.
After being stung at the nationals, John Korir has vowed to bounce back in style-with an Olympics qualifying time at home. Former World 5000m champion Richard Limo has also entered the 10,000m, and so have Commonwealth champion Wilberforce Talel, his predecessor with that title Simon Maina, Paul Kosgei, and Julius Gitahi. Outside the Ethiopians, any of these athletes is a potential podium finisher at the Olympics.
Bungei aiming to make up for 2003 illness
Wilfred Bungei, a silver medallist in the 2001 World Championships who missed the Paris worlds trials due to illness, is leading the men’s 800m field which brings together two former World Junior champions Muengi Mutua and Nicholas Wachira.
Justus Koech in second place at world level this year, and Michael Rotich so far the best in local competition, and finally William Yampoi, fourth in Edmonton 2001, complete the two lap picture.
Lagat against the younger men
World Indoor 3000m champion Bernard Lagat will be running at home for the first time since last year but a lot has happened this season and he is someway down on the world season’s lists for 1500m which is headed by American Allan Webb in 3:32.72.
The highest placed Kenyans in action at the 1500m will be Timothy Kiptanui. Isaac Songok, Alex Kipchirchir, Mike Too and Paul Korir are the emerging stars determined to eclipse the better known runners like Lagat, Olympics champion Noah Ngeny and the experienced Laban Rotich.
Women’s programme - Brilliant 10,000m line-up
There is also some extremely good level competition especially in the women's 10,000m headed by Jane Wanjiku, the fastest in the world this year with a personal best time of 31:04.34 posted in Kobe in April, who has since skipped competition and concentrated on training.
Four athletes in Kenya have so far hit the Athens Olympics qualifying time for the distance, with the others being Alice Timbilil, Lucy Wangui, and Sally Barsosio, the World champion in 1997.
Then there is former Rotterdam Marathon champion Susan Chepkemei, and Commonwealth Games and Kenyan champion Selina Kosgei. One of the world's most durable athletes Leah Malot, still going strong 18 years since winning the All Africa Games gold medal will also be under pressure to perform at 10,000. What a contest!
Edith Masai, fast shaping up into one of the greatest ever Kenyan female athletes competes at 5000m. The World bronze medallist in Paris was within striking gold distance until she was out-run by Ethiopian teenage sensation Tirunesh Dibaba and Marta Dominguez of Spain.
Peter Njenga (Daily Nation) for IAAF
