Mary Moraa, the reigning World 800m champion, and Beatrice Chepkoech, holder of the world record in the 3000m steeplechase, secured their spots in the 2023 Africa Games following standout performances at the trials held in Nyayo Stadium.
Brian Komen emerged as Kenya’s representative in the 1500m event after defeating Abel Kipsang, the bronze medalist from the 2022 World Indoor Championships, in a thrilling final showdown.
Moraa, who also holds the national record in the 400m, clinched victory in the one-lap race with apparent ease. Speaking about her win, she expressed her readiness for the upcoming competition in Ghana, vowing to return with a medal. Moraa emphasized the importance of the race in honing her speed ahead of the busy season, including the Paris Olympics.
Fresh off her bronze win in the women’s 3000m at the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Glasgow, Chepkoech triumphed in the 5000m final, outpacing Mary Munanu and Sandra Felis Chebet. Chepkoech, aiming for gold in the upcoming Olympics, highlighted her optimistic outlook for the year after overcoming injury setbacks.
In the men’s 3000m steeplechase, Amos Serem secured the lone ticket by defeating his brother Edmond Serem and Simon Koech. Hezborn Ochieng won the 100m race with a time of 10:22sec, surpassing Isaac Omurwa, the younger brother of Ferdinand Omnyala, who finished second.
Esther Mbagari claimed victory in the women’s 100m race ahead of Doreen Waka, while Vanice Kerubo dominated the 400 meters women’s hurdles final.
The two-day trials faced disruptions on Tuesday due to athlete protests over reduced quotas for athletes representing Kenya in the delayed Games.
Athletics Kenya stated they were in discussions with the government to increase the number of slots. The Kenya National Sports Council (KNSC) had initially reduced the slots from three to one athlete per discipline, with some disciplines even having zero representatives.
