World Relays in China put Kenya on global sprinting map

Athletics Kenya (AK) has hailed the country’s commanding performance at the recently concluded World Relay Championships in Guangzhou, China, as a turning point in Kenyan sprinting progress.

Three Kenyan relay teams secured qualification for the upcoming World Championships in Tokyo: the men’s 4x100m, men’s 4x400m, and the mixed 4x400m relay teams.

The mixed 4x400m relay team comprising of David Sanayek, Mercy Chebet, Brian Tinega and Mercy Aoko capped the event with a bronze medal.

In a historic feat, all four Kenyan teams set new national records in their respective events.

The men’s 4x100m squad became the first Kenyan team to qualify for the World Championships in the event, clocking a blistering 38.35 seconds in the heats.

The women’s 4x400m team also impressed, running a record 3:28.20. Although initially disqualified due to a lane infringement, they were later reinstated after a successful appeal, though they narrowly missed out on Tokyo qualification.

The men’s 4x400m team delivered a strong performance in the finals, finishing fifth with a national record of 2:59.29, just shy of a podium finish.

Kennedy Tanui, Team Kenya’s Manager, said the results signal Kenya’s arrival on the global sprinting stage.

“From a country not known for sprinting, this performance announces our arrival on the global stage. The world should now take notice,” he said.

“As team manager, I’m satisfied with the team’s performance. Breaking all the national records was our biggest achievement. Qualifying three teams for the World Championships was beyond expectations and one of our best outings to date,” he added.

Tanui attributed the success to a coordinated effort by athletes, coaches, Athletics Kenya, and the Ministry of Sports.

“Despite many stadiums being closed, AK ensured the teams had adequate training time. The Ministry played a vital role in facilitating travel and administrative support in China. The coaches and athletes gave it their all—we’ve not seen this level of performance since the Olympics,” he noted.

Looking ahead, Tanui stressed the importance of early preparations to maintain momentum heading into Tokyo.

“We need to get to work immediately. The Senior Vice President has assured us that camps will begin as soon as possible. We’ve proposed Miramas as the training base, given its state-of-the-art facilities.”

AK Senior Vice President Paul Mutwii echoed the call for government support to enable the team’s early travel to Miramas, the same high-performance center used during preparations for the 2024 Paris Olympics.

“Miramas was crucial to our Olympic preparations, especially for the mixed 4x400m team. We hope to return and begin training early to build a formidable squad,” Mutwii said.

Veteran sprinter Boniface Mweresa emphasized the need to stay focused.

“We’ve achieved something big, especially in the 4x100m, men’s 4x400m, and mixed relay. Now the real work begins. We must perfect baton exchanges and ensure our 4x100m athletes run sub-10.1 seconds, and have more 4x400m runners clocking 44 seconds.”

With renewed belief, strategic planning, and early preparation, Kenya is determined to stake its claim in the world of sprinting.