NAIROBI, Kenya, March 26, 2025 – Athletics Kenya (AK) have congratulated Team Kenya for a commendable performance at the just-concluded World Indoor Championships in Nanjing, China.
AK youth development committee chair Barnaba Korir said all the athletes put in a valiant performance despite coming home empty-handed.
“We are proud of them because they represented us very well even though they did not win any medal. We appreciate their performance; the objective of every athlete at an international competition is to perform well and win,” Korir said.
The 10-member team failed to clinch a medal at the global competition, with three of the finalists falling short of the podium places.
African Games 5000m bronze medalist Cornelius Kemboi clocked a personal best (PB) of 7:49.00 to finish eighth in the finals of the men’s 3000m.
The 2019 World Mountain Running champion, Purity Gitonga, also finished eighth in the women’s 3000m after clocking 8:44.56.
Kenya’s hopes of a medal were extinguished on the final day of the competition when the remain finalist, Susan Ejore, finished fifth in the women’s 1500m after clocking 4:03.89.
Other members of the team included African 800m silver medalist Lillian Odira, the 2022 World Indoors silver medalist Noah Kibet, Africa 800m champion Alex Ng’eno, Collins Kipruto, Vivian Chebet, Dorcas Ewoi and Festus Lagat.
Commenting on the performance, team manager Abdullahi Omar, conceded they were hard-done by lack of proper training facilities in the run-up to the championships.
“Traditionally, Kenya does not compete well at the indoors. I feel the performance was wonderful although it may not have been what we wanted or expected,” Omar said.
Team Kenya will now shift attention to the outdoor season where the World Championships beckons in Tokyo in September this year — among other competitions.
