Mark Otieno is ready to sparkle at the World Athletics Relays in the Bahamas with one goal in mind.
Mark Otieno will be making his first national team appearance at the World Athletics Relays scheduled for Saturday and Sunday in the Bahamas.
Otieno makes his comeback after close to three years of being out since the last time he represented the country was during the delayed 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.
It was at the same event that before stepping on the starting line of the 100m heats, he was provisionally suspended and later banned for the use of the anabolic steroid methasterone.
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The multiple national champion now comes back into competition and is charged up for the top prize, which will be qualifying for the Olympic Games in Paris, France in the relay and hopefully later, qualifying for the 100m before the deadline elapses.
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“We want to qualify for the Olympics in the Bahamas because it will be history in the making. We have to invest in a lot of prayers and practice because we are going up against the world and top athletes are doing well.
“We just want to make history. We just need a solid team so that we can be training and doing things together so that we shall be at par.
“It feels nice to be back because right now I have a son and my main focus is shifting and if I make it to the Olympics, that will be the LORD. I mean, who doesn’t want to go to the Bahamas,” Otieno said.
As per World Athletics, the top 14 teams in each event at the event will automatically qualify for places at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
The remaining two places in each discipline will be awarded based on top lists during the qualification period (December 31, 2022 to June 30, 2024).
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“Olympic places are up for grabs on both days of action in The Bahamas. On the first day, the top two teams in each heat will advance to the final on day two, while also securing their qualification for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
“In the finals on day two, teams will compete for prize money and obtain Olympic lane seeding positions.
“All other teams will compete on day two in the additional round where the top two teams in each heat will also qualify for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games,” the statement from World Athletics read.