Kenya’s Nicholas Kimeli, Daniel Mateiko, and Bernard Kibet aim to open the country’s medal account in the 10,000m final at the Paris Olympics on Friday night. They aspire to emulate the late Naftali Temu, who won Kenya’s first gold in the event at the 1968 Mexico Games, and secure Kenya’s first gold in this event since then.
The trio faces stiff competition from Ethiopia’s Selemon Barega, who won gold at the Tokyo Olympics, and Uganda’s record-holder Joshua Cheptegei.
“Every competition has a winner. We have prepared them adequately. They are all good in their own right, if you consider the times they have clocked this season and at the national trials during the Prefontaine Classic in Oregon, United States,” said middle distance coach Alex Sang.
Kenya’s poor performance at the Tokyo Olympics, where Rhonex Kipruto finished eighth, serves as a motivation for a better showing this time.
“We had a structured programme. We started with endurance training and then headed for speed. However, we couldn’t afford time to hit the gym and hill work. The speed work was intense and we believe it has prepared our boys to finally crack the elusive title,” added Sang.
Despite the challenging weather conditions, with temperatures in Paris reaching 35°C (95°F), Sang remains optimistic. “They are a good trio and have shown the highest level of discipline, especially since we stepped into residential training camp,” he noted.
Mateiko, who recently won the Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon, broke his 10,000m personal best to win Kenya’s trial race in Eugene, clocking 26:50.81, while Kimeli, who finished fourth in the 5000m at the Tokyo Olympics, was a close second.
The competition includes Ethiopia’s Yomif Kajelcha and Berihu Aregawi, who hold the season’s leading times. The race promises to be a thrilling contest as the Kenyan trio aims to bring home the gold.
