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Metric mile maestros Timothy Cheruiyot and Elijah Manang’oi face-off in the men’s 5,000m during the second Athletics Kenya Track and Field Meeting starting on Thursday at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani.
The 2018 Commonwealth Games 1,500m champion has not competed since winning the National 1,500m title on August 22 at the Nyayo National Stadium but would withdraw from the World Championships trials on September 13. Manang'oi failed to defend his World title 1,500m title last year in Doha with a right knee injury.
It’s Cheruiyot who won the 1,500m trials on his way to claiming his maiden World 1,500m crown in Doha, exactly a month after he retained his Diamond League trophy over the distance.
Manang’oi and Cheruiyot, who are teammates at Rongai Athletics Club, will be using the 5,000m race that will go down on Friday for endurance ahead of the opening leg of the Diamond League in Doha on April 17 and inaugural World Continental Tour on May 2 in Nairobi.
“The pain is gone and I feel great in training. I don’t want to go for speed now but endurance,” declared Manang’oi, who is eying a return to the Olympics in Tokyo.
Manang’oi had finished second in his heat during the 2016 Rio Olympics Games but failed to start in the semi-finals after he sustained an injury. “I can only hope for the best this time round and I pray for good health from God.”
The women’s 5,000m final on Friday will also be a battle between Lemotit Athletics Club’s siblings, World Cross Country Under-20 champion Beatrice Chebet and upcoming long distance runner Sandrafelis Chebet.
They are all in Team Kenya for the Africa Cross Country Championships due April 8 in Lome, Togo. Beatrice set the ball rolling with victory in 5,000m, beating Sandrafelis to second place during the opening leg at the Chepkoilel Campus, Eldoret a fortnight ago.
The 2017 World Cross Country Under-20 bronze medallist Richard Kimunyan will be going for his second victory in men’s 10,000m final on Friday.
National 400m record holder Hellen Syombua hopes to follow up her victory in Eldoret with another fine performance at a track where she set the national record of 51.09 on June 22 last year during the African Games trials.
Whether Syombua will face national 400m champion Mary Moraa is left to be known after Moraa competed in 800m in Eldoret, finishing third behind winner Jepkosgei Korir and Naomi Korir.
National 100m champion Ferdinand Omanyala also hopes to pick from where he left it in Eldoret with his second double in 100m and 200m while National 100m record holder Maximilla Imali goes for her second win in women’s 100m.
Millicent Ndoro will be the star-attraction in 200m where she face the likes of Eunice Kadogo, Monica Sephania, Jacinta Shikanda among others.
