Optimism, despair and relief for Team Kenya

Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games - Men's 3000m Steeplechase - Medal Ceremony - Carrara Stadium - Gold Coast, Australia - April 13, 2018. Gold medalist Conseslus Kipruto of Kenya. REUTERS

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World champions Kipruto, Obiri and Manangoi show they are still the best on the track

Optimism quickly turned to despair then relief as Kenyans followed the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games (CWG) in Australia.

With a change of guard at the helm of National Olympics Committee-Kenya (NOCK), there was even talk ahead of the 21st edition of the Club Games that the class of 2018 would surpass their record performance achieved in Delhi 2010.

However, things went quickly south from the moment Ugandan Joshua Cheptengei won the men’s 5000m crown on the opening day of track and field action last Sunday with youngster Edward Zakayo Pingua taking the bronze.

What followed in the subsequent week was one nightmare after another for Team Kenya that meekly surrendered the track and field overall Commonwealth title the country won at Delhi 2010 and Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games.

- Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games - Men's 800m - Medal Ceremony - Carrara Stadium - Gold Coast, Australia - April 13, 2018. Gold medalist Wycliffe Kinyamal of Kenya, silver medalist Kyle Langford of England and bronze medalist Luke Mathews of Australia on the podium. REUTERS

Kenya had to wait until Thursday when Wycliffe Kinyamal delivered the men’s 800m title to celebrate their first gold and after Conseslus Kipruto led a clean sweep in the men’s 3000m steeplechase, world champions Hellen Obiri (women’s 5000m) and Elijah Manangoi (men’s 1500m) salvaged some pride on the Carrara Stadium track.

Pending this morning’s marathon results, there is no way Kenya will match their record medal haul achieved in India where the team minted 12 gold, 11 silver and nine bronze.

Athletes won the bulk of the medals with 11 gold, 10 silver and eight bronze with Nancy Jebet Langat sealing the women 800m and 1500m individual double. Kenya also completed doubles in the 800m, steeplechase and marathon races besides Mark Mutai winning a rare gold in the men 400m.

Jason Dunford made history for Kenya when he won men 50m butterfly for a first swimming top medal. Boxer Joshua Makonjio (light heavy) added another bronze to the tally.

At their second-best CWG showing of all time in Scotland, Kenya had 10 gold, 10 silver and five bronze medals. Delhi and Glasgow are the only occasions where Kenya reached gold double figures out of the 15 editions of the Games.

Kenya won seven gold medals on four different occasions: Christchurch 1974 (New Zealand), Edmonton 1978 (Canada), Victoria 1994 (Canada) and Kuala Lumpur 1998 (Malaysia).

After skipping the 1986 edition, Kenya returned to the Club Games at Auckland 1990 in New Zealand and went home with six gold, a feat repeated at Melbourne 2006 CWG on their last outing in Australia before Gold Coast.

The worst performance was at their maiden appearance in Vancouver, Canada in 1954 where the country won no medal before minting two bronze four years later at Cardiff, Wales.

Before Gold Coast, Kenya had won 81 gold, 68 silver and 71 bronze medals.

As curtains come down on the 21st edition, Paul Tergat, the retired distance running legend at the helm of NOCK and his team have their work cut out to restore the country’s greatness.

Of main concern is the uninspiring performance of the track and field team as Uganda, South Africa, Jamaica made successful incursions on what was considered Kenyan territory.

The sight of Jamaican Aisha Prought beating Celliphine Chespol and Purity Cherotich to the gold in the women’s 3000m steeplechase struck a blow at the heart of national pride while the reign of Julius Yego in the men’s javelin ended in disqualification with Neeraj Chopra of India succeeding him.

Kenya’s Hellen Obiri (gold) poses with her medal after the athletics women's 5000m final during the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games at the Carrara Stadium on the Gold Coast on April 14, 2018. / AFP PHOTO

Having promised to ensure wider distribution of medals across various disciplines in his tenure, the fact that women flyweight boxer, Christine Ongare, was the other competitor in the over 300 strong team to make the podium will be another concern for Tergat ahead of the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.

However, many might also argue that the Gold Coast Games also gave a chance to youngsters like Chespol and Zakayo to show what they are made of in the senior global stage.

Kenya’s Elijah Motonei Manangoi (gold) poses with his medal after the athletics men's 1500m final during the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games at the Carrara Stadium on the Gold Coast on April 14, 2018. / AFP PHOTO

Chespol was at the World Championships in London and finished sixth while for Zakayo, this was his first major competition at the senior stage after winning Under 18 silver.

They will be hoping the medals at the Gold Coast was the first of many.

Kenya's Celliphine Chepteek Chespol (silver)poses with her medal after the athletics women's 3000m steeplechase final during the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games at the Carrara Stadium on the Gold Coast on April 11, 2018. / AFP PHOTO