Athletics Kenya has picked a squad of 47 for the World Championships to take place from September 27 to October 6 in Doha, Qatar.
Kenya will be hoping to improve on its points tally from the 2017 World Championships in London, where the country won 11 medals – five gold, two silver and four bronze – to finish second on the medal standings.
Kenya had topped the medal standings for the first time ever during the 2015 World Championships in Beijing with seven gold, six silver and three bronze medals.
The Kenya trials are always regarded as mini-World Championships. However, the athletics fraternity is worried about the strength of Team Kenya this time.
The country is perceived as weak in some events, including the men’s 10,000m, 5,000m and 800m and women’s 800m.
Kenya is yet to win the world title in men’s 5,000m and 10,000m since 2005 and 2001, respectively.
The team moves to camp tomorrow. We believe there was fairness in selection and now is time to concentrate and strategise on winning.
Athletes should not be allowed to run their own programmes with their agents. After all, the Diamond League season is over.
National duty is most important. Doha will be a tough challenge since the performance there will be a pointer ahead of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
Also, the athletes must guard against doping, which is a menace threatening Kenya’s prowess in athletics.
Already, the Athletes Integrity Unit anti-doping regulations seems to have hit Team Kenya selection hard, with some events having less numbers owing to the rules.
But if that is what it will take to rein in on the doping menace in the country then let it take its course.
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