On your marks! AK releases Olympic Trials invitees

Athletics Kenya has released a star-studded list of 213 athletes who have been invited for the June 30 and July 1 Rio 2016 Trials in Eldoret having qualified for the Olympics.

The federation kept the window open for those travelling for the 20th CAA Africa Senior Championships in Durban, South Africa to stake their claim particularly in the sprints and field events with the roster curiously including the Beijing 2008 silver medallist, Janeth Jepkosgei who is on maternal leave.

Olympic champions; two-time winner Ezekiel Kemboi and 800m record holder David Rudisha alongside world champions, Asbel Kiprop, Julius Yego, Nicholas Bett, Vivian Cheruiyot and Hyvin Kiyeng will be the headline acts at the meet that will go down at Kipchoge Keino Stadium.

The federation has called upon any athlete who has qualified as per the Olympics entry standards and his or her name was not posted to get touch with AK through statistics@athleticskenya.or.ke or info@athleticskenya.or.ke by next Sunday with proof of the performance, date and venue it was attained.

Beijing 2008 men steeplechase champion Brimin Kipruto and Athen 2004 bronze winner, Paul Kipsiele Koech will be seeking a return to the Summer Games at the expense of Moscow and Beijing worlds silver winner, Conseslus Kipruto and Diamond League winner, Jairus Birech.

Conseslus has underlined his status as the runner to beat this season in a race Kenya has brought home the Olympics gold medal without fail for the last eight editions and 10 victories in all in the history of the Games.

Surprise London bronze winner, Abel Mutai is also in the line-up.

The former world junior champion has won four Diamond League races in a row and looks primed to inherit Kemboi’s mantle when he hangs his spikes. The Athens and London gold medallist on the other hand has followed his tried and tested script of preceding a major championship with lacklustre results on the global circuit.

Rudisha who will be in action in Stockholm on Thursday missed the Beijing Olympics when he failed to recover in time to run at the Kenyan Trials where retired Wilfred Bungei went on to win the gold before he returned in London to set the jaw-dropping 1:40.91 world record.

On the domestic front, Ferguson Rotich, who beat him at the Trials for Beijing World Championships last year and again at the Shanghai Diamond League, has emerged as his biggest challenger with both penned for Eldoret.

Also in the list is four-time world champion, Cheruiyot who won women 5000m silver in 2008 Games before taking bronze in 2011 over 10000m and the ‘Pocket Rocket’ will be hunting a fourth Olympics ticket following her showing in Sydney 2000, Beijing and London.

The veteran 32 year-old will be seeking a golden swansong in what will be her last Olympics on track and has had a solid but measured build-up to the Trials, winning the 5000m race at the Birmingham Diamond League meet on June 5.

Having displayed world record form in this campaign, Kiprop will launch his bid for a second Olympics crown after a hamstring injury just before departure for London put paid to his hopes of bringing home back-to-back titles.

The lanky three-time world 1500m has been unstoppable in the circuit, easing to victory at the Doha, Eugene, Birmingham and Oslo over his speciality and the Mile without breaking sweat against stacked fields.

After taking the second medal behind Kiprop in Beijing last year, Elijah Manang’oi has assumed the place of his biggest home rival, taking the position previously occupied by 2010 Commonwealth champion and Daegu 2011 silver winner, Silas Kiplagat.

Besides the trio, Commonwealth titleholder, James Kiplagat Magut, Rabat Diamond League winner, Timothy Cheruiyot and Ronald Kwemoi are other athletes capable of snatching an Olympics berth in the keenly contested metric Mile.

-Entire gaze-

With the entire gaze on Ethiopian track scorchers in the shape of world champions, Genzebe Dibaba and Almaz Ayana, Beijing Worlds 1500m silver medallist, Faith Chepng’etich Kipyegon has been building a head of steam almost unnoticed.

The former world junior champion has run to two national records already this season at the Shanghai and Eugene DL meets and is yet to taste defeat in 2016.

In the women 5000m Moscow Worlds silver medallist and poster girl, Mercy Cherono will contend with the likes of Janet Kisa, Irene Chebet Cheptai and veteran Viola Kibiwott who ran at the Beijing and Athens Olympics.

And those are just a tip of the sheer quality that will be on display at an event justifiably dubbed ‘Mini Olympics’ as the list below attests.

INVITED LIST

001    ABEL MUTAI    M    3000M SC

002    ABRAHAM KIBIWOTT    M    3000M SC

003    AGNES CHESANG    F    3000M SC

004    ALEX KIBET    M    3000M SC

005    ALEX SAMPAO    M    400M

006    ALEX TOROITICH    M    JAVELIN

007    ALEXANDER MUTISO    M    10000M

008    ALFRED KIPKETER    M    800M

009    ALICE APROT    F    10000M

010    ALPHAS KISHOYAN    M    400M

011    AMBROSE BORE    M    5000M

012    AMON CHEPSONGOL    M    110M H

013    ANASTASIA KANINI    F    200M

014    ANN KAVINDI MWANGI    F    800M

015    ANNET MWANZI LUKHUYI    F    800M

016    ANTHONY KIPTOO    M    1500M

017    ARON KOECH    M    400M H

018    ASBEL KIPROP    M    800M/1500m

019    BEATRICE CHEPKOECH    F    800M/3000M SC

020    BEATRICE MUTAI    F    10000M

021    BEDAN KAROKI MUCHIRI    M    5000M/10000M

022    BERNARD KIPYEGO    M    3000M SC

023    BETHWELL BIRGIN CHEMWENO    M    1500M

024    BETSY SAINA    F    5000M/10000M

025    BETT NICHOLAS KIPTANUI    M    3000M SC

026    BETTY CHELANGAT    F    400M H

027    BIRECH, JAIRUS KIPCHOGE    M    3000M SC

028    BOAZ KIPLIMO    M    3000M SC

029    BOAZ KIPRUGUT    M    800M

030    BONIFACE MUCHERU    M    400M H

031    BONIFACE MWERESA    M    400M

032    BRIAN GATURA    M    100M

033    BRIMIN KIPRUTO KIPROP    M    3000M SC

034    CALEB MWANGANGI NDIKU    M    5000M

035    CAROLINE CHEPKEMOI    F    800M

036    CAROLINE TUIGONG    F    3000M SC

037    CARVIN NKANATA    M    200M

038    CATHERINE NANDI    F    200M/400M

039    CELLIPHINE CHEPSOL    F    3000M SC

040    CHARLES SIMOTWO    M    1500M

041    CHARLES YOSEI    M    10000M

042    CHARLSE WAMWEA    M    100M

043    CHEMUTAI KEMBOI    M    3000M SC

044    CLEMENT KIMUTAI KEMBOI    M    3000M SC

045    COLLINS OMAE    M    400M

046    COLLIS CHEBOI    M    1500M

047    CONCESLUS KIPRUTO    M    3000M SC

048    CYRUS RUTO    M    5000M

049    DAISY JEPKEMOI    F    3000M SC

050    DAMARIS MBULA    F    100M

051    DAVID LEKUTA RIDUSHA    M    800M

052    DENNIS OTIENO    M    100M

053    EDWARD KIBET KEMBOI    M    800M

054    EDWIN CHERUIYOT SOI    M    5000M

055    ELIJAH MANANGOI MOTONEI    M    1500M

056    ELIUD KIPNGETICH RUTTO    M    800M

057    ELIZABETH NEKESA    F    100M

058    EMILY CHEROTICH    F    800M

059    EMMANUEL BETT    M    10000M

060    EMMANUEL KIPSANG    M    5000M

061    EMMANUEL LELTUKUNYE    M    100M

062    EUNICE JEPKORIR KERTICH    F    3000M SC

063    EUNICE KADOGO    F    100M/200M

064    EUNICE MUENI    F    100M

065    EUNICE SUM    F    800M

066    EZEKIEL KEMBOI    M    3000M SC

067    FAITH CHEPNGETICH    F    5000M

068    FERDINAND OMANYALA    M    100M

069    FERGUSON CHERUIYOT ROTICH    M    800M

070    FESTUS KIPRONG    M    3000M SC

071    FLORANCE WASIKE    F    100M H/400M H

072    FRED KOGO    M    JAVELIN

073    FREDERICK KORIR    M    800M

074    FREDRICK KIPKOSGEI    M    5000M

075    FRESHA MWANGI    F    100M

076    GEOFFREY KIRUI KIPKORIR    M    10000M

077    GEOFREY KAMWOROR    M    5000M/10000M

078    GEOFREY KIPROTICH    M    200M

079    GILBERT OTIENO    M    200M

080    GLADYS CHESIR    F    10000M

081    GLADYS KEMBOI    F    3000M SC

082    GLADYS KIPAGELAI    F    10000M

083    GLADYS NGURE    F    100M H

084    GRACE KIMANZI    F    5000M

085    HELLEN OBIRI    F    1500M/5000M

086    HELLEN SYOMBUA    F    400M

087    HILLARY CHERUIYOT NGETICH    M    1500M

088    HILLARY KEMBOI    M    3000M SC

089    HILLARY KIPSANG YEGO    M    3000M SC

090    HIRAM NGATIA    M    5000M

091    HYVIN KIYENG JEPKEMOI    F    3000M SC

092    IRENE CHEBET CHEPTAI    F    5000M

093    IRENE JELAGAT    F    800M

094    ISAIAH KIPLAGAT KOECH    M    5000M

095    JACINTER SHIKANDA    F    400M

096    JACKLINE CHEPNGENO    F    10000M

097    JACKSON KIVUVA MUMBWA    M    800M

098    JAMES MAGUT    M    1500M

099    JAMES MWANGI NDIRANGU    M    10000M

100    JAMES RUGARU    M    10000M

101    JANE CHEGE    F    100M H/400M H

102    JANET KISA    F    5000M

103    JANETH JEPKOSGEI    F    800M

104    JARED MOMANYI    M    400M

105    JEREMIAH KIPKORIR MUTAI    M    800M

106    JOAN CHEPKEMOI    F    3000M SC

107    JOASH KIPLIMO    M    3000M SC

108    JOB KINYOR KOECH    M    800M

109    JOHANA MANYIM MAINA    M    10000M

110    JOHN KATUU WAMBUA    M    110M H

111    JOHN KIBET KOECH    M    3000M SC

112    JONATHAN KITILIT KIPROTICH    M    800M

113    JONATHAN NDIKU    M    3000M SC

114    JOSEPH POGISHIO    M    400M

115    JOSPHAT BETT KIPKOECH    M    10000M

116    JOYCE CHEPKURUI    F    10000M

117    JUDY KIYENG    F    800M

118    JULIUS KIPKORIR    M    3000M SC

119    JULIUS ROTICH    M    400M H

120    JULIUS YEGO    M    JAVELIN

121    KENNETH KIPKEMOI    M    10000M

122    KIPKEMOI SOI    M    200M

123    KIPRONO KOSKEI    M    400M H

124    KIPROTICH KURGOI    M    110M H

125    KIPYEGON, FAITH CHEPNGETICH    F    800M

126    KOSIMBEI NICHOLAS MBOROTO    M    10000M

127    LAWI LALANG    M    5000M

128    LAWRENCE KIPSANG    M    3000M SC

129    LEONARD BARSOTON    M    5000M

130    LEONARD BARSOTON    M    10000M

131    LEWIS AWANGE    M    100M

132    LYDIA CHEPKURUI    F    3000M SC

133    LYDIA ROTICH CHEBET    F    3000M SC

134    MAGDALENE MASAI    F    3000M SC

135    MAGOIGA JUMA    M    200M

136    MANGATA NDIWA    M    5000M

137    MARGARET NYAIRERA    F    400M/800M

138    MARK OTIENO    M    100M

139    MARY ATANUI    F    100M/200M

140    MASAI MAGDALINE    F    5000M

141    MATHEW RONO    M    800M

142    MAUREEN JELAGAT    F    400M/400M H

143    MAUREEN THOMAS    F    400M

144    MERCY CHERONO    F    1500M/5000M

145    MIKE MOKAMBA NYANGAU    M    100M/200M

146    MILLICENT NDORO    F    100M/200M

147    MONICAH ZAFANIA    F    100M

148    MOSES KOECH    M    5000M

149    MOSFFAT NGARI    M    200M

150    NANCY CHEPKWEMOI    F    800M

151    NANCY SANG    F    400M H

152    NDIRANGU JOHN MAINA    M    5000M

153    NELLY ANJERA    F    400M H

154    NELLY CHEPKOSGEI    F    800M

155    NELSON YEGO    M    JAVELIN

156    NENGAPI CELETE    F    5000M

157    NICHOLAS BETT    M    400M H

158    NICHOLAS KIPLAGAT    M    800M

159    NIXSON KIPLIMO CHEPSEBA    M    1500M

160    NORAH JERUTO    F    3000M SC

161    NYAMBURA, VIRGINIA    F    3000M SC

162    PATICK CHUKOR    M    3000M SC

163    PATRICK KIPROTICH RONOH    M    800M

164    PATRICK MWAKA    M    10000M

165    PAUL KIPNGETICH TANUI    M    5000M/10000M

166    PAUL KIPSELIE KOECH    M    5000M

167    PAUL KOECH    M    3000M SC

168    PAULINE KAVEKE    F    5000M

169    PETER LANGAT    M    800M

170    PETER MWAI    M    200M

171    PHENUS KIPLETING    M    3000M SC

172    PIUS MUIYA    M    200M

173    PRICILAH TAMBUNDA    F    100M H

174    PURITY CHEROTICH KIRUI    F    3000M SC

175    RAYMOND KIBET    M    400M

176    ROBERT KIBIWOTT    M    1500M

177    RONALD KWEMOI    M    1500M

178    ROSE CHERONO    F    200M

179    ROSE WANJIKU    F    5000M

180    ROSEFLINE CHEPNGETICH    F    3000M SC

181    RUTH BOSIBORI    F    3000M SC

182    SALLY JEPKOSGEI KIPYEGO    F    5000M/10000M

183    SAMMY KORIR    M    110M H

184    SELA JEPLETING    F    800M

185    SHARON MULI    F    400M

186    SILAS KIPLANGAT    M    1500M

187    STANLEY KIETI    M    400M

188    STEPHEN ARITA    M    10000M

189    STEPHEN SAMBU    M    5000M/10000M

190    STEPHEN TENEI    M    400M H

191    SYLVIA CHESEBE    F    800M

192    THOMAS LONGOSIWA    M    5000M

193    TIMOTHY CHERUIYOT    M    1500M

194    TIMOTHY KIPTIAM    M    800M

195    TIMOTHY KITUM    M    800M

196    TIMOTHY SEIN    M    800M

197    TITUS KIPCHUMBA MBISHEI    M    10000M

198    VERONICA MUTUA    F    400M

199    VERONICAH CHEBET    F    100M H

200    VICTOR KIMUTAI    M    5000M

201    VINCENT CHEPKOK    M    10000M

202    VINCENT KIBET    M    1500M

203    VINCENT KOSKEI    M    400M H

204    VINCENT YATOR    M    10000M

205    VIOLA CHEPTOO LAGAT    F    800M

206    VIOLA JELAGAT BIWOTT    F    800M/5000M

207    VIVIAN CHERUIYOT    F    5000M/10000M

208    WILFRED KIMETEI    M    10000M

209    WILLIAM MBEVI    M    110M H/400M H

210    WILLIAM SITONIK    M    10000M

211    WILLY TARBEI    M    800M

212    WILSON MARABA    M    3000M SC

213    WINNIE CHEBET    F    800M