Get behind Team Kenya ahead of Rio Games

Athletics Kenya has come up with a formidable track and field team to compete in the Olympic Games in Rio Di Janeiro, Brazil from August 5 to 21.

The team was named after major upsets were recorded at the national athletics trials for the world’s most celebrated sporting competition, with top guns losing to youngsters at Eldoret's Kipchoge Keino Stadium. Apart from the upsets during the two-day competition, the athletes also set impressive times and that will be music to the ears of coaches, considering that Eldoret is of a higher altitude than the traditional trials venue in Nairobi and normally slower times are expected.

Reigning world 800m junior champion Margaret Nyairera dropped a 1:58.27, which was a stadium record, while another junior champion over the distance, Alfred Kipketer, showed little respect for David Rudisha, an Olympic champion and world record holder, as he sprinted to victory. That is a good starting point as Team Kenya moves to camp tomorrow.

After a good show at the World Championships in athletics last year in Beijing, China where Kenya emerged overall winners, its track stars will be under enormous pressure to fend off the challenge from those who want to beat these strong long distance runners at their own game. It will be quite difficult to remain at the top of the athletics field, but it is something that can be done with good preparations.

The Kenya team goes into the games with a dark cloud of doping allegations hanging its head, and this is why the track and field team will undergo a more rigorous drug testing regime. Kenya must, therefore prove to doubting Thomases that it has clean athletes by conquering the world again. We know that nearly all Kenyan athletes run clean. But if the Kenyans do not work hard in training and ultimately flop in Brazil, the world could start doubting the team’s ability.

Sports administrators and managers must ensure that these athletes get what they need during training so that they can focus on their preparations. The National Olympic Committee of Kenya should spare no effort in ensuring that the athletes are not distracted.

If this is done, then there is no reason why Kenya cannot show the world why it is the best athletics nation. We urge all Kenyans to get behind the team as it starts its preparation for the Olympics.