Athletics Kenya’s U-turn on athletes

By Mutwiri Mutuota

Elite athletes preparing for the March 28 World Cross in Amman, Jordan, can now breathe easy in the build-up to the event.

This follows Athletics Kenya (AK)’s announcement yesterday that taking part in four of the seven local cross-country meetings is no longer a requirement for consideration to the national team.

AK secretary, David Okeyo, moved to clear the issue that had caused some disquiet among top runners gearing for the Amman event in the European circuit.

"We are satisfied with those competing abroad in IAAF sanctioned meetings that also count towards selection," Okeyo said.

He was speaking at a function where AK officially received Sh4.7m in sponsorship for the KCB Cross-Country Series and national team.

He added: "As part of the IAAF family, we are obliged to send our runners to compete in their events in Europe that is why we have cleared some top athletes to base their build-up overseas."

At the beginning of the national cross-country series last month, AK had said that only those runners who take part in four of the meetings would be eligible for invitation to the Amman Trials.

So far, the series has gone through Nairobi, Machakos, Meru, and Kisii with Kericho, Nyahururu and Eldoret yet to hold their meetings.

Lead cross-country acts such as World Cross senior men’s silver winner, Leonard Komon and women’s bronze winner, Linet Masai among others are yet to compete locally.

However, they have displayed sparkling form in the European circuit with Masai winning four events and Komon three.

"Our series has attracted top runners and we are pleased with the calibre of participation in them," Okeyo expressed citing names such as the 2006 World Cross junior champions, Mangatta Ndiwa (men, Kisii) and Pauline Korikwiang (women, Machakos and Meru). Other notables who have competed at the local circuit so far have been Olympic 10,000m bronze winner, Micah Kogo (Kericho) and Edwin Soi (Kericho) who won a similar medal in Beijing over 5,000m.

Okeyo assured that Kenya would improve on her showing in Edinburgh where it won the overall title, but failed to capture the four individual titles that went to Ethiopia.

"Coaches are working hard to ensure that we retain our title for the 23rd year in Amman and produce individual winners especially in the senior races. This is as long as the selection is done properly."

Five-time champion, Paul Tergat, was the last Kenyan to win the men’s senior title at the Belfast World Cross in 1999. The country is yet to produce a winner in the senior women’s category. Speaking at the same function, KCB’s Deputy CEO, Sam Kimani said that the financial institution used Sh4.4m on the local cross-country series and national team.

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