Africa’s finest track and field events ready to rock Kenya

NAIROBI (Xinhua) -- Kenya and Ethiopia are set to renew their legendary rivalry during the 17th CAA African Senior Athletics Championships that get underway on July 28 to Aug 1.

Over the years, the two East African neighbours have dominated long distance running globally in a show of rivalry akin to that of Jamaica and America in the sprints.

In fact it is whispered that the two nations contributed highly to the diminished interest among nations in the World Cross Country Championships that they dominated like the proverbial colossus and which has since assumed biennial status.

Ethiopia competed at home during the last edition before frenzied crowds and this time it will be Kenya’s turn to compete under home support.

Whether the Kenyan crowd will rally behind their stars to a man like their nemesis did two years ago will be confirmed when the games open.

"I have assembled my troops for the big battle and we are raring to go. It is only the starter’s gun that is holding us back before we start harvesting medals," national team coach Stephen Mwaniki told Xinhua at the Chinese-built Kasarani Sports Complex Hostels where the team is residing. "We cannot afford to let down our home fans."

The women’s 10,000-meter race is a must-watch event that will pit Olympic Champion Tirunesh Dibaba against World Champion Linet Masai.

Masai won the event in Berlin in the absence of the Ethiopian running machine who skipped the championships due to an injury.

"It will be a battle of wits with Masai wanting to reaffirm her position as the queen of the event with Dibaba out to prove that the Kenyan holds it courtesy of her absence at the 2009 World Championships," said former World Marathon record holder Paul Tergat.

The 5,000m women’s race will also be a crowd puller that will pit the Kenyan trio led by world champion Vivian Cheruiyot against Dibaba, who will double, and former world champion Meseret Defar.

These two events will have the making of World or Olympic Championship clashes as it is the same runners who race against each other in the finals of the international events.

"The true athletics fan is the person who will turn up at Nyayo Stadium to watch Africa’s best athletes, most of whom they have only being watching on television, battle it out for top honours," says LOC Chairman Isaiah Kiplagat who is also the boss of Athletics Kenya.

In the absence of Olympic and World Champion Kenenisa Bekele, the men’s 5,000m will be a clash between the battle-hardened former world champion Eliud Kipchoge against Kenenisa’s younger brother Tariku.

In a past interview, Kenenisa’s father, Byecha, was quoted saying he will never "allow" Tariku to win over his elder brother when they race against each other.

Whether the younger Bekele will mark his turf this time round in the absence of the "king" is a matter of conjecture.
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NAIROBI (Xinhua) -- The Senior Africa Athletics Championship kicks off in Nairobi on Wednesday with a 10,000m final.

Kenya was routed by Ethiopians two years ago when Addis Ababa hosted this championship, as only John Korir was fit enough to claim the fourth place with champion Gebregziabher Gebremariam, Ibrahim Jeilan and Eshetu Wondemu giving Ethiopia a clean sweep.

But the East African nation went back to the drawing board and after two years planning, former World Junior 5,000m silver medallist Mathew Kisorio will be the point man as he leads Geoffrey Mutai and Wilson Kiprop.

"It is not easy to win a slot in the Kenya team. We might be young, but looking at the effort we put in the trials, we are here to stay and this championship, will God willing, help us to cement our place in the team.

"We are ready to show the world we are worthy the medals we will win," said Kisorio.

Kisorio, who has a personal best time of 27:15.44 set in Utrecht, said he eyes to improve it but he has only been able to run 27:28.13 when he finished second to Kiprop.

However, Ethiopia too has changed the game plan.

The entire three medallist in 2008 have been axed and they give the chance to Olympic 10,000m Sileshi Sihine to redeem his career having been out for a long time. Alongside Sihine, Ethiopia will also rely on Kende Ademe, Mesfin Alemu, Jarso Kintra.

With the two bigwigs marking out each other, Uganda and Eritrea will seek to play the spoilers role and have its athletes sneak into the medal bracket.

Uganda, who arrived in the country on Monday, has picked on Moses Kipsiro, the winner in Bambous, Mauritius in 2006, Stephen Kiprotich and Geoffrey Kusuro.

Kipsiro, who missed the championship in Addis Ababa, has been in great form and has set a personal best time of 28:03.46 while winning in Bambous.

With his eyes set on making Uganda’s team to the Commonwealth Games, Kipsiro is lustful to reclaim his title, but Uganda’s national champion Kusuro will be playing out the pace setter’ s role.

For Eritrea, there will be Teklemariam Medhin, Kidane Tadasse and Samuel Tsegay.

Kenya’ s national head coach Stephen Mwaniki remained optimistic, the athletes have done enough in training and it is upon them to display their potential on the track.

"I have assembled my troops for the big battle and we are raring to go. It is only the starter’s gun that is holding us back before we start harvesting medals. We cannot afford to let down our home fans," he said.

These 10,000m men have the recipe of World Championship or Olympic Games.

Though there is the absence of Olympic and World Champion Kenenisa Bekele, Moses Masai, Micah Kogo and Samuel Kitwara, the class of athletes have proved their worth and the fans will be treated to a tactical and fast paced race.

Kenya’s upstart, Wilson Kiprop holds the fastest time over the 10,000m race at the Nyayo National Stadium, which is a high altitude venue at 27:26.93, which he set while winning the Kenyan trials.

However, he has to replicate the same consistence in Wednesday’s race if he has to keep his dreams of a medal in the championship alive.