Qualification to Olympics our top priority, says Aaron Koech  – KBC

Team Kenya World Relays captain Aaron Koech is optimistic of a good show at the upcoming World Athletics Relays Championship set for Silesia, Poland on 1-2 May.

Koech who formed part of the mixed 4×400m bronze medal-winning team at the last edition of the event in Yokohama in 2019 said qualification to Tokyo Olympics is their prime aim.

“There are a few challenges though but we are hoping for some great performance. In Japan two years ago we managed a bronze and we’ll be building on that to even excel further. Our aim is to make it to Japan for the upcoming global sporting extravaganza” he noted. 

Kenya will be sending a team of 36 athletes to Poland on Tuesday night for the competition which will be used as a qualifying competition for relay teams aiming to compete at the World Athletics Championships Oregon 2021.

Youngster Mary Moraa will also form part of the 4×400m women’s team alongside 

Hellen Syombua while speedsters Mike Mokamba and 100m national record holder Mark Otieno will spearhead the men’s 4×200m team.

Over the years, the country’s sprinters have lacked high-profile competitions resulting in a drop of standards among current Kenyan sprinters, and participation in international events will see the runners gain much-needed valuable experience.

Head coach William Murgor hopes the national team to the World Relay Championships in Selesia, Poland has improved on their starting techniques. 

Murgor said they have been working hard to rectify the glaring technical mistakes witnessed during the AK Relay Series that began in January this year. 

The newest addition to the World Athletics Series, the World Relays were held in the Bahamian capital of Nassau for the first three editions, while 2019 event was held in the Japanese city of Yokohama.

Poland has a proven track record of hosting major athletics events with Bydgoszcz having hosted the inaugural World U18 Championships in 1999 as well as two editions of the World U20 Championships and World Cross Country Championships. 

While Kenya bagged only a bronze medal at the 2019 championships held in Japan,

team manager Kennedy Tanui is confident the sprinters are ready to bag medals at the biennial event, noting massive improvements from the squad.

“We have had robust training on button exchange which has been our greatest undoing. We have also polished our skills on the 4*200m race which is somehow technical and also the shuttle relay which we have perfected,” said Tanui who doubles as Athletics Kenya(AK), Central Rift secretary.