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The former Olympic and Commonwealth Games champion feels Kenyan runners have no reason why they should not collect many medals at the World Championships.
Former 400m Commonwealth Games champion Charles Asati believes Team Kenya has no reason not to win numerous medals at the 2023 World Athletics Championships since they are highly motivated.
The first batch of the 54-member Team Kenya contingent leaves for Budapest on Monday after officially being handed the flag by Sports Cabinet Secretary Ababu Namwamba last week and there are hopes that the country will do better than the last edition in Eugene, Oregon in the United States where they collected 10 medals (two gold, three silver and five bronze).
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07:00 - 10.08.2023
ATHLETICS Approximately Ksh 14 million up for grabs for world record breakers at the World Championships
Performances that equal the existing world record will not be eligible for a world record award.
There are, however, concerns over whether Kenya will be able to reclaim the steeplechase gold that eluded them last year or defend the men’s 800m title owing to Emmanuel Korir’s injury heading into the World Championships, but Asati, who also won gold in the 4x400m relay at the 1972 Munich Olympics, feels the Class of 23 should not have any excuses.
“Athletes today are motivated, they are paid well so they should produce more. If we had got the same when we were running, it would have been more medals for Kenya,” the 1970 Commonwealth Games 400m champion told Pulse Sports.
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08:26 - 13.08.2023
ATHLETICS Sure medals to be won by Kenyans at the World Championships
In this article, Pulse Sports analyses the disciplines in which athletes from Kenya are likely to win medals.
“We were amateurs, we did not receive any money. All we received were promises like when we returned from the 1968 Mexico Olympics, the late President Jomo Kenyatta promised all of us a piece of land but just three people got it. Now, we have to rely on small donations from government but those running today are well remunerated.”
Team Kenya has been in residential training for the last three weeks since the National Trials on July 8 and there are high hopes that they will do better after recent disappointing outings.
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07:55 - 05.08.2023
ATHLETICS Road to Budapest: Faith Kipyegon & Sifan Hassan to renew rivalry at the World Championships
The triple world record holder and the London Marathon winner will square it off in both 1,500m and 5,000m at the World Championships
Triple world record holder Faith Kipeygon carries the country’s hopes in the 1,500m and 5,000m and there is also a lot of faith in 3000m steeplechase world record holder Beatrice Chepkoech as well as Beatrice Chebet, the Commonwealth 5,000m champion, 800m Commonwealth champion Mary Moraa and Africa’s fastest man Ferdinand Omanyala in the 100m.
Kenya’s marathon team is also being counted on to deliver the gold while Korir has proved before that he can shake off injury and poor form to win 800m gold at the Olympics and Worlds.
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09:30 - 14.08.2023
ATHLETICS Kenyan trio face uphill battle in 10,000m thriller at Budapest World Championships
Facing Ethiopian and Ugandan dominance; Kenyan runners look to upset the balance and make their mark.
Besides the medal prospects, Asati also has a word of advise for Kenyan runners in general.
“The athletes of today, if they want to do well, they must stop doping because those substances destroy their bodies and even after their athletics careers, they will be completely finished,” added the 77-year-old.
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