Tanui: Why Kenya could send more athletes to Poland for World Indoors

The battle for more Kenyan representation at the 2026 World Athletics Indoor Championships is gathering momentum as Athletics Kenya pushes for additional slots in Poland.

While World Athletics has allocated Kenya six places for the Kujawy Pomorze showpiece, the federation is hopeful that stronger entry numbers could earn the country a bigger team.

Athletics Kenya is keeping its cards close as selection preparations continue, but competition director Kennedy Tanui disclosed that 12 Kenyan athletes eight women and four men have already met the qualifying standards, prompting a formal request to the global body for consideration of more slots.

“As we speak, we have 12 athletes who have attained the qualifying standards eight women and four men. We have forwarded their names to World Athletics for consideration,” Tanui confirmed.

Kenya’s reduced allocation for 2026 was influenced by the country’s medal-less outing at the 2025 World Indoor Championships in Nanjing, China, where a team of 10 athletes was fielded.

“The reduced allocation is as a result of our performance in Nanjing, where we did not win a medal. That is why we have six slots for 2026. However, we are in discussions with World Athletics to allow us to enter more athletes who have met the entry standards,” Tanui explained.

If the request succeeds, Kenya could assemble a “redemption team” aimed at restoring its indoor championship pedigree.

Selection will also be guided by strict integrity protocols. All athletes must obtain clearance from the Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya (ADAK) and the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU), alongside mandatory testing and compliance certification.

Tanui noted that availability is another key consideration, with Athletics Kenya engaging US-based and European-based athletes to confirm travel readiness.

“We lack indoor facilities locally, but thanks to the indoor circuit in Europe and the United States — and with many of our athletes studying abroad we now have a good number hitting the qualifying marks,” he said.

Several athletes have strengthened their claims during the 2026 indoor season. Gladys Chepngetich broke the 13-year-old national indoor 800m record in Boston, clocking 1:58.81, while Rosemary Longisa ran 1:59.71 at the Husky Classic in Washington, well inside the 2:00.90 entry standard. Mercy Oketch has rewritten the national indoor 400m record three times this season, most recently posting 51.53 in France.

Doris Lemngole delivered a stunning NCAA indoor 3,000m record of 8:31.39 at the Millrose Games, and Dorcus Ewoi, the 2025 world 1,500m silver medalist, won the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix in 4:01.22.

Ferdinand Omanyala remains in the mix for the 60m based on world ranking positions despite a slow start to 2026 tours.

Noah Kibet and Festus Lagat are currently the only Kenyan men who have automatically met the entry standards in the 800m and 1,500m respectively.

The qualification window runs from November 1, 2025 to March 8, 2026, with all marks required to be achieved in competitions sanctioned under World Athletics rules and appearing on the global calendar.

Sprint entry marks stand at 7.20 seconds for women and 6.59 seconds for men in the 60m. Other standards include 51.75/45.80 (400m), 2:00.90/1:45.80 (800m), 4:06.00/3:36.00 (1,500m), 8:35.00/7:33.00 (3,000m) and 8.02/7.65 (60m hurdles) for women and men respectively.

If negotiations succeed, Kenya could head to Poland with a stronger contingent determined to fight for medals and firm its indoor championship presence.

The 2026 World Athletics Indoor Championships will be held from Friday, March 20, to Sunday, March 22, 2026, in Kujawy Pomorze (Toruń), Poland.