Kenya's track stars land in Paris ready for medal harvest

A strong contingent of 12 Kenyan track athletes landed here in Paris on Tuesday morning ready to rumble when the Olympics athletics schedule rolls off on Thursday at Stade de France.

World 1500m record holder and reigning champion Faith Kipyegon headlined the sparkling array of track stars that also included world 800m champion Mary Moraa and 10,000m world record holder Beatrice Chebet.

Others who jetted in the French capital are men’s 1500m specialists led by Tokyo Olympics silver medalist Timothy Cheruiyot, African Games champion Brian Komen and 2022 World U20 1500m champion Reynold Cheruiyot.

Late entrant Vivian Chebet, who will partner Moraa and Lilian Odira in the 800m was also present as well as 10,000m specialists Margret Chelimo, Bernard Kibet, Daniel Mateiko and Nicholas Kimeli.

Team Kenya's middle distance coach Bernard Ouma said time to deliver medals has arrived following ‘near-perfect’ preparations.

“The general preparations of the team was largely well and NOC-K ensured athletes’ needs were met and so we’re ready for the duty.

“I know the competition will be very tough but we’ve also done top preps which will enable us to see off the competition,” said Ouma upon arrival at Charles-de-Gaulle airport (CDG Airport).

“Our main target for the heats is to ensure we get it right to reach the finals and from there we can start counting our chicks. For the 10,000m final on Friday, we expect our athletes to deliver the medals.”

Race walking veteran Samuel Gathimba, who jetted in last week, will open the athletics schedule for Kenya on Thursday 8:30am Kenyan time at Trocadéro near the iconic Eiffel Tower.

“The experience I have gained since the 2016 Olympics I believe will help me be at the podium at the Paris Olympics. I’ve really trained well and now I am waiting to see what the day will have for me,” said Gathimba, who finished fourth at the 2022 World Championships.

Friday will see Kenyan athletes rumble in the men’s 1500m Round 1, women’s 5000m Round 1, 4x400m mixed relay Round 1, women’s 800m Round 1 and then men’s 10,000m final.

10,000 tough battle

In the 24-lap showdown set to start at 10:20pm, Kenya’s hopes to win first gold in Olympics since 1968’s Naftali Temu’s heroics, lie on Daniel Mateiko, Nicholas Kimeli and Bernard Kibet.

The trio will however have to hatch a proper plan if they are to snatch the title from Ethiopia’s Selemon Barega who clocked 27:43.2 to win the Tokyo Olympics ahead of current record holder Joshua Cheptegei of Uganda and his compatriot Jakob Kiplimo.

Kenya performed dismally at the Tokyo Olympics with Rhonex Kipruto, who was recently banned for violating doping rules, finishing a distance eighth.

Mateiko, winner of the Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon earlier this year, smashed his 10,000m PB to win Kenya’s trial race in Eugene in May in 26:50.81 while Kimeli, who finished fourth over 5000m at the Tokyo Olympics, was a close second to Mateiko in Eugene Diamond League.

The Kenyan trio will also face a tough competition from Ethiopia’s Yomif Kajelcha, who holds the world’s season-leading time of 26:31.01, with compatriot Berihu Aregawi only one tenth of a second behind. Aregawi placed fourth at the Tokyo Olympics.