In the last World Championships in Budapest, Hungary, the men’s 5000m team brought home a bronze medal through Jacob Krop, who had bagged silver during the 2022 showpiece in Eugene, Oregon.
Ahead of this year’s global show, which is set to electrify Tokyo, Japan from September 13-21, Kenyan men who stormed to automatic qualification spots at the national trials are chasing entry standards.
The country’s 5000m squad has until August 24 to qualify for the World Athletics Championships Tokyo25, the biggest extravaganza this year.
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Cornelius Kemboi and Mathew Kipsang who crossed the line first and second respectively at the national trials staged in Nairobi on July 22 are still chasing an hitherto elusive 13:01.00 entry mark set by World Athletics.
Olympian Nicholas Kipkorir is the only Kenyan one who has hit the qualifying standards and is the solo man sure of flying the Kenyan colours after storming to under 13 minutes late last season.
The Brussels Diamond League on September 13, 2024 remains Kipkorir’s historic 5000m race in recent months.
Despite placing third behind Berihu Aregawi of Ethiopia and his compatriot Telahun Haile Bekele in that contest, Kipkorir ran the Tokyo World Championships entry standard when he clocked 12:49.59.
The global governing body, in its qualification guidelines for the Tokyo25 event states that a maximum of 12 athletes would qualify through world rankings.
Three Diamond League races which are Silesia on August 16, Lausanne (August 20) and Brussels (August 22) hold key to the stars’ qualifications for the World Championships.
The meets will be among options for the country’s selected charges for Tokyo to prove that they are strong enough to meet the entry standards and join Kipkorir in taking on global bigwigs which include Ethiopian long distance track athletes such as Biniam Mehary, Kuma Girma and Hagos Gebrhiwet who have been picked to represent the neighboring nation.
Even before the Kenyan national trials started, many 5000m athletics stars were cognizant of the entry standards nightmare.
“I will be looking to qualify automatically in Nairobi and thereafter begin the journey to meet the entry standards. It is a very challenging undertaking because the qualification window is increasingly getting shorter and shorter,” World Under-20 5000m champion Andrew Kiptoo Alamisi had told Standard Sports days before the trials. The teenager settled for the 9th place at the trials.
Kemboi, the winner of the Kenyan national trials has since expressed confidence as he waits for brief on the races that he will compete in.
“I want to cool down first after the trials and then strategise on bringing back my name after a difficult season,” says Iten-based Kemboi.
He adds: “My season started off well in January but later on, my form started going down. I have not competed in many races during the season and that cost me. I had only a month to prepare for the trials and I am now preparing to correct my mistakes with the help of my coaches. For the next month, I am going to make an effort.”
Athletes in both categories meet the entry standards through track and road races and the final list of eligible runners for qualification through world ranking will be known officially on August 27.
Javelin sensation Irene Jepkemboi also has her fingers crossed. Ranked 32nd in the rising star is hoping that she remains in top 36 when the window closes on August 24.