Kenya plots Inzikuru fall
Aug 03, 2005
WORLD 3000m steeplechase fastest runner Dorcus Inzikuru (left) is indeed giving Kenyans sleepless nights. Kenya head coach Dan Muchoki revealed on Tuesday he had planned on how Kenya’s trio of Jeruto Kiptum, Salome Chepchumba and Jackline Chemwobo were going to run on Saturday in the event the Uga
Reuben Olita in Nairobi
and Agencies
WORLD 3000m steeplechase fastest runner Dorcus Inzikuru (left) is indeed giving Kenyans sleepless nights. Kenya head coach Dan Muchoki revealed on Tuesday he had planned on how Kenya’s trio of Jeruto Kiptum, Salome Chepchumba and Jackline Chemwobo were going to run on Saturday in the event the Ugandan star has made her preserve.
Kenya’s teams for the women steeplechase and men’s 5000m that includes John Kibowen, Isaac Songok, Benjamin Limo and Eliud Kipchoge left for the World Athletics Championship in Helsinki, Finland on Tuesday ahead of the other batches that leave today and on Monday.
Kenya will parade 36 athletes in the middle, long distance and marathon events. They will not feature in the sprints and field events as none attained the qualifying mark. Uganda will field six in steeplechase, 5000m, 10000m, marathon and 800m.
Muchoki admitted that Inzikuru was a good runner having run and trained in Kenya ahead of the world championships. “I know she has the best time in the world (9.15.04), but Chemwobo can spring a surprise having run 9:29.00,†he said, adding that he would rely on the strength of his athletes to tame the Ugandan.
Muchoki said he was also aware of Boniface Kiprop in the 5000m where Kenyans had trained enough. “Should Kiprop run the race, I am confident Moses Mosop and Charles Kimathi have enough strength to test the world’s bestâ€.
Kenya won two gold medals in the last world championship in 5000m and marathon. “I am convinced we are capable of accumulating more gold medals this time round,†Muchoki said.
* President Mwai Kibaki, meanwhile, urged Kenyan athletes not to defect to oil-rich Gulf states in search of money and better training facilities. His appeal on Tuesday with the Kenyan team for Helnsiki comes after some 40 Kenyans changed their nationalities to run for Qatar or Bahrain.
“Let us resist the temptation to change our citizenship for financial gains,†Kibaki said. “This is the country that has made it possible for you to attain international fame and recognition.
“The least you can do is to assist other talented young people to develop their sporting talents and become winners like you.â€
Prominent defectors include 3000m steeplechase champion Saif Saaeed Shaheen, formerly Stephen Cherono, Yusuf Saad Kamel (Gregory Meritei Konchellah) and Nicholas Kemboi.
Shaheen will receive a monthly stipend of $5,000 for the rest of his life and $250,000 if he wins a world or Olympic medal.
The Qatar federation meets the athletes’ training expenses in Kenya where they live in five-star hotels.
and Agencies
WORLD 3000m steeplechase fastest runner Dorcus Inzikuru (left) is indeed giving Kenyans sleepless nights. Kenya head coach Dan Muchoki revealed on Tuesday he had planned on how Kenya’s trio of Jeruto Kiptum, Salome Chepchumba and Jackline Chemwobo were going to run on Saturday in the event the Ugandan star has made her preserve.
Kenya’s teams for the women steeplechase and men’s 5000m that includes John Kibowen, Isaac Songok, Benjamin Limo and Eliud Kipchoge left for the World Athletics Championship in Helsinki, Finland on Tuesday ahead of the other batches that leave today and on Monday.
Kenya will parade 36 athletes in the middle, long distance and marathon events. They will not feature in the sprints and field events as none attained the qualifying mark. Uganda will field six in steeplechase, 5000m, 10000m, marathon and 800m.
Muchoki admitted that Inzikuru was a good runner having run and trained in Kenya ahead of the world championships. “I know she has the best time in the world (9.15.04), but Chemwobo can spring a surprise having run 9:29.00,†he said, adding that he would rely on the strength of his athletes to tame the Ugandan.
Muchoki said he was also aware of Boniface Kiprop in the 5000m where Kenyans had trained enough. “Should Kiprop run the race, I am confident Moses Mosop and Charles Kimathi have enough strength to test the world’s bestâ€.
Kenya won two gold medals in the last world championship in 5000m and marathon. “I am convinced we are capable of accumulating more gold medals this time round,†Muchoki said.
* President Mwai Kibaki, meanwhile, urged Kenyan athletes not to defect to oil-rich Gulf states in search of money and better training facilities. His appeal on Tuesday with the Kenyan team for Helnsiki comes after some 40 Kenyans changed their nationalities to run for Qatar or Bahrain.
“Let us resist the temptation to change our citizenship for financial gains,†Kibaki said. “This is the country that has made it possible for you to attain international fame and recognition.
“The least you can do is to assist other talented young people to develop their sporting talents and become winners like you.â€
Prominent defectors include 3000m steeplechase champion Saif Saaeed Shaheen, formerly Stephen Cherono, Yusuf Saad Kamel (Gregory Meritei Konchellah) and Nicholas Kemboi.
Shaheen will receive a monthly stipend of $5,000 for the rest of his life and $250,000 if he wins a world or Olympic medal.
The Qatar federation meets the athletes’ training expenses in Kenya where they live in five-star hotels.