By Athletics Kenya
Athletics Kenya has unveiled a formidable squad of six athletes to fly the nation’s flag at the World Indoor Championships set for March 20–22 in Kujawy Pomorze, Poland.
The team features 400m national champion Mercy Oketch, 400m indoor national record holder Brian Tinega, 2022 World Indoor 800m silver medallist Noah Kibet and Rosemary Longisa in the women’s 800m.
Others are 2022 world 5,000m silver medallist Jacob Krop and 1,500m specialist Susan Ejore.
“The team features a blend of experienced competitors and emerging talent across middle-distance and sprint events as Kenya seeks strong performances on the global indoor stage,” the federation said in a statement.
Profile of team Kenya squad for the World Indoor Championships
Oketch has been in top form on the indoor circuit since kicking off her season.
She kicked off her season with a commanding victory at the 27th Internationales Leichtathletik Meeting in Chemnitz, Germany, storming to the tape in 52.98.
She followed that performance with third place at the Madrid World Indoor Tour Gold, clocking 52.25 behind the Netherlands’ Lieke Klaver (51.26) and Spain’s Blanca Hervas (51.59).
Her most recent outing came at the Meeting Metz Moselle in France, where she returned to winning ways after clocking an impressive 51.53.
Meanwhile, Tinega heads to the championships after smashing a 31-year-old national record.
Last weekend, he secured a second-place finish at the Big 12 Indoor Track and Field meeting in Texas, USA, timing 45.68.
That mark eclipsed the previous national mark of 45.98 set by Charles Gitonga at the Meeting Pas-de-Calais in Lievin, France, in 1995.
His other appearances on the indoor circuit have seen him record second place at the New Mexico Collegiate meet (46.44) as well as third place finishes in the men’s 4X400m relay at the Razorback invitational (3:06.50) and the Big 12 meet (3:09.51).
Rosemary Longisa’s recent performance
Longisa, a student at Washington University, has also enjoyed a strong indoor campaign, which includes a podium finish over 1,000m (2:38.26) at the Dempsey Indoor Meet; victory in the mile (4:24.59) at the Seattle Invitational and second place over 800m (1:59.71) at the Husky Classic.
Noah Kibet’s indoor campaign has seen him claim victory at the Czech Indoor Gala, clocking 1:46.71 over 800m, before securing a second-place finish at the Moscow meet in 1:45.77, behind Algeria’s Slimane Moula (1:45.48).
Over the 3,000m on the indoor circuit, Krop has recorded back-to-back runner-up finishes at the Karlsruhe Meeting in Germany (7:38.64) and the Meeting Hauts-de-France (7:34.68).
Meanwhile, Ejore’s indoor season has seen her finish fifth in Millrose Games over the mile (4:22.23) before placing third in the 3,000m at the Sound Running Invite in 8:37.84.
