Nairobi — The Olympic Games will ‘begin proper’ for Team Kenya in Paris on Friday afternoon, with track and field competitions commencing at the iconic Stade de France in the French capital.
Already, Shujaa had graced the stadium in rugby sevens last week, finishing ninth, while the women’s volleyball team, Malkia Strikers are already in action.
On Thursday, walker Samuel Gathimba competed in the 20km race walk finishing 22nd, while Judoka Zeddy Cherotich was on the mat in the women’s 78kg category, losing in the first round in her Olympics debut.
But now, all eyes will be on the tartan track at the Stade de France, where Kenya is expected to do well and fight for medals, with an opportunity for the first on Friday in the men’s 10,000m.
Capital Sports looks at what is in store for Team Kenya on Friday.
1:10pm – Men’s 1500m preliminaries
Kenya’s journey to reclaim the 1500m title it last won in 2008 via Asbel Kiprop will commence Friday afternoon, with the preliminary races.
Brian Komen, Tokyo 2020 silver medalist Timothy Cheruiyot and youngster Reynold Cheruiyot will be flying Kenya’s flag.
Komen, a debutant at the Games will be first off in Heat One, Cheruiyot up next in Two and Reynold in Three. In his last two competitions this season, Cheruiyot has shown signs of regaining his old self, having battled injuries for the past two seasons.
The first six across the line will qualify for the semi-finals.
8:10pm – Women’s 5,000m Heats
In her quest for a historic double, just as she did at the World Championships in Budapest last year, Kenya’s track darling Faith Kipyegon will get her campaign off in her ‘non-traditional’ race, the 5,000m.
She heads into the opening heat with confidence, in a race that she set a world record for last year, and having recovered well from injury to also set a world record in her traditional 1500m race, Kipyegon is high on confidence.
Perennial competitors, defending champion Sifan Hassan, Gudaf Tsegay (bronze medalist from Tokyo 2020) and Ejgayehu Taye of Ethiopia, will also be competing in this stream as well as compatriot Margaret Chelimo.
This is expected to be the most competitive Heat of the race.
World silver medalist, another top prospect for Team Kenya in this race, Beatrice Chebet, will be in the second heat, which has limited top competition.
The first eight in each heat will book a slot in the final and the Kenyan trio is expected to do well.
9:10pm -4x400m mixed relay
Having qualified to the Games by virtue of ranking, Kenya’s 4x400m relay team will look to make the best of their chance.
They will line up in a tough Heat One that has powerhouses Jamaica, USA and Poland. The first three finishers in each heat qualify for the final where they will be joined by the two fastest fourth placed teams across both heats.
Kenya’s team comprises of Mercy Chebet, David Sanayek, Veronica Mutua and the experienced Boniface Mweresa.
9:45pm – Women’s 800m
World champion Mary Moraa will get her quest for an Olympic gold started on Friday night when she guns off with the heats.
The dancing queen starts off in Heat Five, where she has the fastest time this season, and is expected to generally do well. Kenya’s other two representatives, debutants Lilian Odira and Vibian Chebet compete in heat six and three respectively.
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11:20pm – Men’s 10,000m final
The late Naftali Temu was the last Kenyan athlete to win gold in the men’s 10,000m at the Olympic Games, and this was way back in 1968.
Kenya has struggled to have even two faces on the podium in this race and the best results have come off current National Olympic Committee of Kenya (NOCK) president Paul Tergat who has a pair of silver medals from 1996 and 2000 while Paul Tanui also won the same color in Rio 2016.
Daniel Mateiko, Nicholas Kipkorir and Bernard Kibet will have the tough task of ending Kenya’s 56 year wait for a gold medal in the 25-lap race.
They will have a stacked field to compete with, as all three medalists from Tokyo 2020; defending champion Selemon Barega, Uganda’s Joshua Cheptegei and Jacob Kiplimo, will all be in the line up.
