World Champions Lilian Odira and Faith Cherotich, who won bronze at Olympics Games Paris 2024 are two of the leading names in world athletics chosen to represent Kenya at the upcoming Commonwealth Games set for Glasgow starting next month.
They are joined by Commonwealth Champion Ferdinand Omanyala who will be looking to defend his title in the men’s 100m.
Kenya has selected a team of 52 athletes for the games. The successful East Africa athletics nation will be represented in the 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m, 100m hurdles, One Mile, 5000m, 10,000m, 3000m steeplechase, 10,000m race walk, High jump men, long jump women, Triple jump men, Hammer men, shot put women, javelin women and men and Decathlon men as well as the 4x100m men relay and the mixed 4x400m relays.
The selection procedure used by Athletics Kenya was the winner of each trial at the Kenyan National Championships in Nairobi on Saturday (20 June) qualified, while the remaining two positions were left to the panel of selectors.
This allowed room for athletics such as the 3000m steeplechase world champion and Olympic bronze medallist Cherotich to be included in the team, who received a wild card for Saturday’s trials.
800m World champion Odira claimed her first Commonwealth Games berth by winning her third national title over the distance.
Experienced Julius Yego will be the sole participant in the men’s javelin. Yego returns to Glasgow where he won a gold medal in 2014. At the Birmingham Games four years ago, he won a silver medal.
Olympic and Commonwealth 1500m silver medallist Timothy Cheruiyot, who won over the distance at the trials, will lead Kenya’s squad for the newly introduced Mile event. He will be supported by Reynold Cheruiyot and Brian Komen.
“Today’s field was very strong. As usual, Kenya national trials are very hard. But I am happy today because I believe in myself and my training today,” Cheroiyot told Olympics.com.
Cheruiyot is inspired to win gold in the newly introduced mile after recently winning the Dream Mile in Oslo.
“I feel this is a good season for me. I am injury free. The build-up was well. I started last year in October. I am happy. My body is responding well. This is my third Commonwealth Games and I am bringing gold.”
World bronze medallist in the 3000m steeplechase Edmund Serem, Simon Koech and Leonard Kipkemoi Bett form the men’s team over the distance, while Cherotich and Celestine Biwott will compete in the women’s 3000m steepchase.
Kenyan’s men’s 10,000m team will be led by the World Cross Country Champion Daniel Ebenyo who will be aiming to claim the gold medal which Kenya last won in 2002. The women’s 10,000m consisting of Diana Wanza and Miriam Chebet aim to end Kenya’s 12 year gold doubt in the distance.
In other events, national record holder and US based athlete Rukia Nusra Omulisia will line up in the women’s 100m hurdles, while another American based athletes Irene Jepkemboi who debuted at the World Championships last year, will be the only representative in the women’s javelin throw.
- Kenya’s Lilian Odira wins third national 800m title to claim first Commonwealth Games appearance
- Defending 100m champion Ferdinand Omanyala to chase history at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow
read more: https://www.olympics.com/en/news/world-champions-lilian-odira-and-faith-cherotich-to-lead-kenya-team-for-commonwealth-games
