The Kenyan team to the World Championships have been urged to continue the country’s good rapport with Tokyo by finishing on top of the medal table.
Athletics Kenya (AK) president Lt Gen (Rtd) Jack Tuwei said the Japanese capital holds fond memories for Kenya and called on the athletes to create more unforgettable moments by shining on the track and road races.
“You are the ones who will be running, so you have to be better prepared. Tokyo is the place where we got our first ever medal in 1964, so it is a special place for us. We have a lot of history about Tokyo,” he said.
When did Kenya win its first world championship medal?
Kenya’s first medal in athletics history came at the 1964 Olympics in Tokyo, courtesy of Wilson Kiprugut’s bronze medal in the men’s 800m.
The country then won 10 medals at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, including four gold, four silver and two bronze.
This year’s World Championships are set for September 13-21, with close to 61 athletes representing the country.
Coming just a month after the African Nations Championships (CHAN), Lt Gen (Rtd) Tuwei urged the athletes to emulate their football counterparts – Harambee Stars – who went all the way to the quarterfinals of the continental showpiece.
“We congratulate Harambee Stars for doing well in Chan and ask you to emulate that. The best you can do is to finish number one and the worst you can do is to maintain second place,” Lt Gen (Rtd) Tuwei said.
Bar the United States, Kenya has won the highest number of medals in the history of the World Championships (171) since its first edition in 1983 in Helsinki, Finland.
Lt Gen (Rtd) Tuwei was speaking on Monday afternoon at a meeting with a group of athletes who have been training in Nairobi for the past month ahead of the championships.
The team, mostly consisting of sprinters, were provided with kits ahead of their departure on Monday for Tokyo.
When has team Kenya been training for Tokyo World Championship?
Another batch of the team has been training at the Kazi Mingi Farm in Eldoret and is expected to join their counterparts in Nairobi before departure.
Also present at Monday’s meeting was Betika’s chief executive officer (CEO), Mutua Mutava.
The CEO revealed that they are looking to work with AK in preparations for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, having collaborated in the preps for the World Championships.
“We have also gotten into negotiations with AK to get into a three-year partnership for the road to the LA Olympics. It is all about nurturing talents, and we have plenty of them,” Mutava revealed.
Mutava further expressed confidence in the team, noting that the joy Kenyans have been experiencing from Harambee Stars will continue as the athletes make the country proud in Japan.
“Mine is to wish you all the best. Harambee Stars brought us together to be happy, now we have you guys to make us proud. We started this journey last year, and here we are. Tokyo has come, and we have put money to support you, and we will continue to do so. We have a lot of faith because we have seen you in action,” the CEO said.
He said the company will continue sponsoring and organising the annual Bingwafest games that have been held across the country for the past year and feature athletics, among other competitions.
“Bingwafest is our Olympics for Kenya. We are in season 2, and there is still more money to be won. It has become a big thing,” the CEO said.
Team Kenya ready to impress in Tokyo
Speaking at the same time, Team Kenya captain Boniface Mweresa urged his companions to give their all for the nation in Japan.
“As the sprints, let us not disappoint but build on our success at the World Relays. The worst we can do this time is clock a national record. This time, we are more prepared…guys have improved on their time. Let us push ourselves and surprise everybody,” Mweresa said.
He also exalted the Bingwafest Games as an opportunity for sprinters to sharpen themselves in the off-season and ensure they are in top shape all round the year.
“The team is ready, and we are happy to receive the spikes. Bingwafest has really helped us to remain in competitive shape during the off-season for the track and field. It has enabled us to remain in top shape. We request to include field events in some of the meetings,” he said.
Each of the athletes and coaches received Ksh 25,000, among other goodies.
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