NAIROBI, Kenya, June 20 – Athletics Kenya (AK) president Jack Tuwei has challenged the Kenyan team to next month’s Commonwealth Games to top the medal standings at the quadrennial showpiece.
Tuwei challenged the athletes to bring their A-game to Scotland, noting that the trip to the Club Games should not be a mere formality but a serious mission intent on achieving results.
“We want to see some good performances from you in Scotland and to see you topping the medal table. This is the team we have selected and tasked with flying our country’s flag high,” the AK supremo said.
Team Kenya have it all to do to top their performance from the last edition of the competition in 2022 in Birmingham, where they amassed 21 medals — 20 of them attributable to athletics.
It was a far cry from their best ever medal haul in 2010 in New Delhi, where they won 33 medals (12 gold, 11 silver and 10 bronze).
As they begin the countdown to Glasgow, which begins on July 23-August 2, Kenyans will be looking to a number of elite names within the team — those who have been there and done that.
Most notable include defending champion in the men’s 100m Ferdinand Omanyala, world 3000m steeplechase champion Faith Cherotich, world 800m champion Lilian Odira, Commonwealth Games 800m champion Wycliffe Kinyamal as well as Commonwealth Games 1500m silver medalist Timothy Cheruiyot.
Equally worthy to keep an eye for are a number of promising athletes who have already provided glimpses of their elite talent.
African 10,000m champion Diana Wanza, world 3000m steeplechase bronze medalist Edmund Serem, and African 800m champion Kevin Loti will be keen to continue the upward trajectory in their careers by making the podium in their respective events.
The team were selected on Saturday after three days of national trials at the Nyayo Stadium, which also doubled as the national championships.
On behalf of AK, Tuwei pronounced blessings upon the team before handing them over to the National Olympic Committee of Kenya (NOCK) who will now oversee their preparations.
“”From here, we will hand over the team to the National Olympic Committee of Kenya, which will manage the team from now onwards until they come back from the Commonwealth Games,” Tuwei, also the president of Confederation of African Athletics (CAA), said.
Speaking at the same time, Sports Cabinet Secretary (CS) Salim Mvurya expressed satisfaction with the team selected, praising the level of competition on show at the national trials.
“On behalf of the government, I congratulate all selected athletes as well as all those who participated in these trials. This was a very good event, very transparent,” he said.
The team are expected to enter residential camp in readiness for the battle ahead.
Team Kenya squad to Commonwealth Games
100m women
Millicent Ndoro
100m men
Ferdinand Omanyala
Meshack Babu
Mark Otieno
100m Hurdles women
Rukia Nusra
200m men
Zablon Ekwam
Elkana Sabila
400m women
Mercy Oketch
Mercy Chebet
Nancy Jepkosgei
400m men
Kelvin Tonui
Boniface Mweresa
George Mutinda
400m hurdles women
Vanice Kerubo
400m hurdles men
Kipkorir Kiprotich
800m women
Lilian Odira
Janet Amimo
Vivian Chebet
800m men
Wyclife Kinyamal
Kelvin Loti
Nicholas Kiplagat
One Mile women
Naomi Korir
Teresiah Gateri
Rosemary Longisa
One Mile men
Timothy Cheruiyot
Reynold Cheruiyot
Brian Komen
3,000m steeplechase women
Celestine Biwott
Faith Cherotich
3,000m steeplechase men
Simon Koech
Edmund Serem
Leonard Bett
5,000m women
Caroline Nyaga
Rebecca Mwangi
5,000m men
Mathew Kipsang
Cornelius Kemboi
Andrew Kiptoo
10,000m women
Diana Wanza
Miriam Chebet
10,000m men
Ishmael Rokitto
Edwin Kurgat
Daniel Ebenyo
Race walk men
Stephen Ndangiri
Race walk women
Sylvia Kemboi
High Jump men
Asbel Kiprop
Long Jump women
Faith Kipsang
Triple Jump men
Kevin Kemboi
Hammer men
Dominic Abunda
Shot put women
Belinda Oburu
Javelin women
Irene Jepkemboi
Javelin men
Julius Yego
Decathlon
Edwin Too
