5,000M: SELECTION COST KENYA DEARLY
Athletics
By
Jonathan Komen
| Aug 19, 2016
Fierce reactions greeted poor show in men’s 5,000m where no Kenyan made it to the final set for Olympic Stadium this evening.
For the first time since the 1960 Olympics in Rome, Kenya failed to appear in the men’s 5,000m final.
World silver medallist Caleb Ndiku Mwangangi, 2013 world bronze medallist Isaiah Koech Kiplang’at and Africa cross country bronze medallist Charles Yosei lined up for Kenya.
Thomas Longosiwa, the London Olympics 5,000m bronze medallist, blamed team selections for the mess.
“I was recalled into the team. I thought the coaches had evaluated my performance but I was surprised to learn they had made up their minds to enter Charles Yosei in 5,000m and earn two wild cards to Bedan Karoki and Geoffrey Kamworor.
“I am not surprised they did not make the final. Look at their performance this season. Caleb Mwangangi finished 10th in Eugene (Diamond League) and never competed in any meeting while Isaiah Koech Kiplang’at finished fourth in London in 13:15, where Mo Farah won in 12:59. That’s a wide gap,” said Longosiwa.
Longosiwa returned third in Shanghai (13:01.69) and fourth in Eugene (13:02.91) while Kiplang’at finished ninth in Eugene (13:08.34) and fifth in Oslo (13:10.18).
Longosiwa added: “I think Yosei was coerced to take 5,000m, a race he has just competed in once this season –in Japan. The coaches never went as per performances in the season.”
Daniel Komen, the former world 5,000m champion, bitterly said: “Those guys let us down. I felt like getting back from retirement into active competition. I blame our coaches, who are ill-trained.”
Komen, who holds three world records in 3,000m (outdoor and indoor) and the only man alive to run two miles under eight minutes, went on: “It was just like allowing a quack to do diagnosis and administer drugs on a patient. We had a weak team and handicapped coaches.”
He cited men’s 800m races and women’s races, where Kenyan coaches made mistakes.
Olympic 5,000m silver medalists are Eliud Kipchoge (bronze, 2004 and 2008), Paul Bitok (1996,1992) and Kip Keino in 1968. Thomas Longosiwa (2012), Edwin Soi (2008), Eliud Kipchoge (2004) and Naftali Temu (1968) are bronze medalist