Time for track battle

By Omulo Okoth in London

Double world champion Vivian Cheruiyot, Sally Kipyego and Joyce Chepkurui descend on the Olympic Stadium tonight to begin what could be Kenya’s most successful Olympic outing here.

The trio will run in the women’s 10,000m final on the first day of the highly-anticipated athletics programme as Kenyans hope to bag the first medal at the London Olympics.

The race will take place at 11.25pm (Kenyan time), the last in today’s athletics programme.

The duo of Vincent Kiplagat and Boniface Mucheru will start their qualifications in the 400m hurdles, at 1.15pm (Kenya time), followed by Joyce Zakary’s in the women’s 400m at 2pm.

The 3,000m steeplechase greats defending champion Brimin Kipruto,  world champion Ezekiel Kemboi and newcomer Abel Mutai will then begin their hunt for an expected Kenyan sweep, but with a round one race at 3pm.

The busy day for Kenyans will also see the 1,500m stars defending and world champion Asbel Kiprop, world silver medalist Silas Kiplagat and Nixon Chepseba start their campaign at 10pm.

However, the focus will be on the 10,000m race.

While the world seems more familiar with Cheruiyot, Sally Kipyego is getting less attention here, which could work to her advantage.

The 27-year-old, who will be doubling in the 5,000m as well, and seems to avoid attention, yet is so confident that she could be the black sheep here.

Chepkurui will provide the needed teamwork in a race widely predicted in favour of Cheruiyot.

Ethiopia’s Tirunesh Dibaba, Werknesh Kidane and Beleynesh Oljira are the likely candidates for the medals apart from Kenyans.

But if we are to believe head coach Julius Kirwa, the Kenyan trio may dominate the front running as well as the medals.

Kidane, 33, and Dibaba, 27, are the biggest threats on Kenya’s quest for a historic Olympic gold in this race.

However, with Cheruiyot’s imperious shape since last year, it will be a huge disappointment if the girl famously referred to as the pocket rocket misses the gold.

“I don’t fear anybody. I have trained well and leave the rest to God,” was all she could say after yesterday’s training.

On Wednesday Kenya’s sole weight lifter Mercy Obiero improved on her performance in the Olympics, but was not good enough in her 69kg category in which she finished fifth.