Kenyans back home from world meet empty-handed

Ethiopia's Birke Haylom (R) competes ahead of Kenya's Susan Lokayo Ejore-Sanders and Canada's Lucia Stafford in the women's 1500 metres heat 2 during the World Athletics Indoor Championships Kujawy Pomorze 2026 in Torun, Poland on March 20, 2026. [AFP]

The Kenyan cast to the World Indoor Championships that came to a close on Sunday night in Poland is returning home without a single medal.

None of the seven athletes who flew Kenyan colours in the 2026 World Indoor Championships in Kujawy Pomorze, Poland reached the podium.

It is the second year in a row that Kenya’s anthem has not been sung at the World Indoor Championships.

Kenya faced a medal drought at the Nanjing championships last year, with only three athletes advancing to the finals.

This year, in Kujawy Pomorze, two athletes – world 5,000m silver medallist Jacob Krop and national 400m indoor record holder Mercy Oketch reached the finals, but were pipped by rivals in hotly contested races.

Like last year, medal hopes were on the shoulders of Susan Ejore, the only Kenyan who qualified for a race in the final, but she couldn’t make it to the podium after finishing fifth in a contest that proved tough.

By Saturday evening, Kenyan was banking on Krop (3,000m), Oketch and Ejore but they finished fourth and fifth respectively in their events at Torun, the venue of the 2026 edition.

Ejore placed eighth in the women’s 1,500m, a race won by Great Britain’s Olympic bronze medallist Georgia Hunter Bell.

Last year, athletes such as African Games 5,000m bronze medalist Cornelius Kemboi and 2019 World Mountain Running champion Purity Gitonga finished eighth in the men and women’s 3000m. Kenya had no representative in the women’s 3,000m this year.

Noah Kibet, the 2022 world indoor silver medallist was eliminated in the semi-finals on Saturday.

Rising stars had displayed a desire to turn the tables on dominant figures at the global stage during the indoor season.

24 countries medalled in the 2026 edition, with USA topping the medal tally with 18 medals, followed by Great Britain (4) and Italy (5).

Athletes, including steeplechaser Doris Lemngole oozed class at the Millrose Games, one of the gold level meets.

Lemngole blazed the tracks on February 1, winning the 3,000m indoor and sending a signal that she might stun if she is named in the squad to Poland.

Kenya has previously displayed stunning performances at the World Indoor, with stars like Hellen Obiri, who bagged gold at the 2012 World Indoor Championships and other successful achievers including Daniel Komen and Janeth Jepkosgei who set world-leading marks dominating the track during their prime.

Kenya will be hoping to shine in the 2028 World Indoor show in India. The World Athletics Council has selected Odisha in India and Astana in Kazakhstan to host the World Indoor Championships in 2028 and 2030 respectively.

According to World Athletics, the 2028 World Indoor Championships will see India host a global track and field championship for the first time, from March 3-5, 2028.

Odisha, the eastern Indian state on the Bay of Bengal, held the Asian Championships in 2017, while the state has also hosted a World Athletics Continental Tour Bronze meeting.