Kenya’s athletics giants battle for national honours and tickets to Glasgow

The three-day championships will bring together Olympic medallists, world champions and rising stars, as Athletics Kenya seeks to select a strong team capable of flying the national flag high from July 23 to August 2.

Africa’s fastest man Ferdinand Omanyala headlines the event as he targets a return to the Commonwealth Games and another chance to defend his 100m crown.

Omanyala won gold at Birmingham 2022 after clocking 10.02 seconds, beating South Africa’s Akani Simbine and Sri Lanka’s Yupun Abeykoon. The Kenyan sprint star has already declared his ambition to keep the title.

The women’s 800m will also attract huge attention, with world champion Lilian Odira and Olympic bronze medallist Mary Moraa fighting for selection.

Odira is chasing her first Commonwealth Games appearance after a breakthrough season that saw her win the World title in Tokyo 2025, while Moraa arrives as the defending Commonwealth champion after her victory in Birmingham.

Former world 1,500m champion Timothy Cheruiyot is also expected to light up the championships as he targets another Commonwealth appearance. Cheruiyot renews his rivalry with world bronze medallist Reynold Cheruiyot, while Daniel Munguti also enters the fray.

The women’s 10,000m promises one of the fiercest battles, featuring reigning African champion Diana Wanza, defending national champion Loice Chemnung, New York Marathon champion Sheila Chepkirui, Janeth Chepng’etich, Rebecca Mwangi and Pamela Kosgei.

Wanza has enjoyed a brilliant season, winning the Azpeitia Half Marathon in Spain before dominating the African Championships trials 10,000m race.

Chemnung, meanwhile, comes into the trials in strong form after winning the Barcelona Half Marathon and finishing second at the Boston Marathon.

The men’s 10,000m showdown is expected to be another highlight, with Daniel Ebenyo facing rising star Silas Senchura.

Ebenyo heads into the race full of confidence after smashing the Chicago Half Marathon course record in 1:00:39, reviving his form after a difficult start to the season.

The 2022 Commonwealth silver medallist will be seeking another shot at the Games podium, but standing in his way is Senchura, the African Championships bronze medallist who has quickly established himself among Kenya’s promising distance runners.

Other contenders include Weldon Langat, John Mwaniki, Victor Kimosop, Emmanuel Kipsang and Joseph Karanja.

In the field events, javelin legend Julius Yego will be chasing another Commonwealth appearance after winning a record sixth continental title in Ghana.

Yego, who won Commonwealth gold in Glasgow in 2014, will be joined by decathlon star Edwin Too, hammer thrower Dominic Abunda and shot put contenders Peter Mwangi, George Malala, Belinda Oburu and Sarah Otieno.

Kenya will be hoping to build on its previous Commonwealth success after collecting 21 medals at the last edition, with athletics accounting for 20 of them.

With automatic selection guaranteed for winners who meet the requirements, the battle at Nyayo is expected to produce drama, surprises and a glimpse of the next generation ready to carry Kenya’s athletics legacy.