National trials: Only four sprinters have booked tickets to World meet

Kenyan 400m Mary Moraa wins heat 2 at the IAAF World U18 Championships at Kasarani Stadium on Wednesday [Courtesy]

Kenya is likely to pick only four sprinters for the forthcoming World Championships slated for September 27 to October 6 in the Qatari capital Doha.

National record holder Hellen Syombua who has a qualifying time of 51.09secs will be the sole representative in the women’s 400m. World Under-18 and Africa Under-20 champion Mary Moraa have also qualified for the global showpiece.

Others are national 400m champion Alphas Kishoyian of KDF who has a time of 45.30 seconds in 400m during the Uganda National trials and Nicholas Kiprotich Chirchir who posted 49.40 seconds in 400m hurdles at the National Championship last month.

To affirm her position in the team, Syombua will line up against Maureen Thomas, Moraa and Joan Cherono in the finals tomorrow.

Kishoyian will take on Raymond Kibet, Jared Momanyi and Collins Omae in the men’s 400m finals.  

“I’m glad I made the qualification time in Uganda, and also came close in KDF championships.

“With a level entry in the finals, I’m sure I can still dig in and confirm the time again at the trials,” said Kishoyian who was a finalist at the Africa Games in Morocco.  

“We have a small representation in sprints, many did not clock the required qualification standards,” said AK head coach Julius Kirwa.