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The consistency of the 25-year-old has left experts confident that he will bring home the rare 400m hurdles medal just like the late Nicholas Bett did eight years ago
Africa 400m hurdles bronze medalist Wiseman Were has been tipped to win Kenya a medal at the 2023 World Championships in Budapest, Hungary in August.
Kenya’s only medal in 400m hurdles was won at the 2015 World Championships by the late Nicholas Bett, who clocked 47.79 seconds, the fastest time for the distance in the whole of the 2015 season, to claim the country’s first gold in an event shorter than 800m at the Worlds.
Were has, however, shown good progress since bursting onto the scene, running under 50 seconds this year, including a new meeting record of 49.59, as he defended his Kip Keino Classic title at Kasarani Stadium last weekend, and experienced sprints coach Stephen Mwaniki feels he has what it takes to win a World Championships medal.
“He is doing very well in hurdles and has run pretty fast,” Mwaniki told Pulse Sports. “I think he is the guy who is going to help Kenya win a medal in hurdles because he has already done 49 seconds this year. We believe he is the guy who will raise the flag for us in the 400m hurdles,” he added.
“In this business of running, you need role models. So, Nicholas Bett was our role model and that is why we are have people like Were and more Kenyans will come on board,” said Mwaniki.
Before destroying the field at Kip Keino Classic, Were had clocked 49.28 for third place at the Botswana Golden Grand Prix, with American Trevor Bassitt taking top honours in 48.42 ahead of Morocco’s Mohamad Amine, who finished second in 48.57.
That was after another third-place finish at the second leg of the season-opening ASA Grand Prix in Germiston, South Africa in April, in a time of 49.29, a week after winning the opening leg in 49.23 in Pretoria.
His consistency has, therefore, left observes full of confidence that a second World Championships medal in the 400m hurdles is a reality for Kenya if the Commonwealth 4x400m bronze medalist remains fit until August.
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