'I will not let you down, Kenya'- Nicholas Kimeli plots attack on Ugandans, Ethiopians ahead of World Championships

Nicholas Kimeli plots attack on Ugandans, Ethiopians ahead of World Championships IImage source: Imago

'I will not let you down, Kenya'- Nicholas Kimeli plots attack on Ugandans, Ethiopians ahead of World Championships

Abigael Wafula 08:55 - 11.03.2025

Nicholas Kimeli is determined to reclaim Kenya’s dominance in the 5000m and 10,000m, vowing to go after Ugandans and Ethiopians.

Nicholas Kimeli has expressed confidence that Kenya will reclaim the world titles in the men’s 5000m and 10,000m and he will be in charge of that.

The Commonwealth Games silver medallist has a strong feeling that he will have a great track season, especially after a major setback in his season opener before he bounced back at the Sirikwa Classic Cross-Country Championships.

Nicholas Kimeli revealed that while competing at the Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon at the start of the season, he hurt his foot and could not train ahead of the Sirikwa Classic where he finished an impressive third.

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Now, he shifts focus to silence Ethiopians and Ugandans in Diamond League Meetings before the ultimate event of the season, the World Championships in Tokyo, Japan.

“I hope this year will be good…when we go to the Tokyo World Championships, I will prepare very well and I have already started with this cross country,” Nicholas Kimeli said.

“I hope my season will go well because I also want to compete in the Diamond Leagues and I want to compete against the Ethiopians and Ugandans and my hope is that we shall run well this year.”

Nicholas Kimeli hopes to bring back Kenya’s glory over the distances. The last time a male Kenyan athlete won the title in the 5000m was at the 2005 World Championships in Helsinki courtesy of Benjamin Limo.

In the 10,000m, the case is the same as the last Kenyan to win the title was Charles Kamathi who impressed at the 2001 World Championships in Edmonton. Since then, Ugandans and Ethiopians have dominated the distance but Nicholas Kimeli believes their time is up.

“I will not let you down Kenya this time around. Before Tokyo, I want to compete in the Diamond Leagues and I have very high expectations and I pray that God will protect me and guide me throughout the challenges,” Nicholas Kimeli said.

Kimeli knows what it takes to perform on the global stage since he has made the Kenyan team in a series of events. He was in action at the delayed 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games where he finished fourth in the 5000m final.

At the 2022 World Championships, he finished a distant seventh in the 5000m final and in 2023, he doubled but did not live up to the billing, finishing a distant eighth in the 10,000m and failing to make the final in the 5000m.

Nicholas Kimeli also made the team to the Paris Olympic Games but things did not go as planned as he finished 14th in the 10,000m. However, he now believes it’s time for a change and he will be the trailblazer.

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