 Recently the associated press published their Track and field medal projection for the London 2012 Olympics and listed Kenya for 18 medals. Comprised of 6 Gold, 7 Silver and 6 Bronze medals. They also predict 3 clean sweeps in Men's Marathon, 1500M and 3000M S/C. A gold each for Rudisha, Asbel Kiprop, Ezekiel Kemboi, Abel Kirui, Vivian Cheruiyot and Mary Keitany Men:800- Gold: David Rudisha, Kenya
- Silver: Abubaker Kaki, Sudan
- Bronze: Yuriy Borzakovskiy, Russia
1,500- Gold: Abel Kiru, Kenya
- Silver: Nixon Chepseba, Kenya
- Bronze: Silas Kiplagat, Kenya
5,000- Gold: Mo Farah, Britain
- Silver: Isaiah Kiplangat Koech, Kenya
- Bronze: Galen Rupp, United States
Marathon- Gold: Abel Kirui, Kenya
- Silver: Wilson Kipsang, Kenya
- Bronze: Emmanuel Mutai, Kenya
3,000 Steeplechase
- Gold: Ezekiel Kemboi, Kenya
- Silver: Kiprop Mutai, Kenya
- Bronze: Brimin Kipruto, Kenya
Women:800- Gold: Caster Semenya, South Africa
- Silver: Pamela Jelimo, Kenya
- Bronze: Mariya Savinova, Russia
5,000- Gold: Vivian Cheruiyot, Kenya
- Silver: Tirunesh Dibaba, Ethiopia
- Bronze: Meseret Defar, Ethiopia
10,000- Gold: Tirunesh Dibaba, Ethiopia
- Silver: Vivian Cheruiyot, Kenya
- Bronze: Sally Kipyego, Kenya
Marathon- Gold: Mary Keitany, Kenya
- Silver: Edna Kiplagat, Kenya
- Bronze: Liliya Shobukhova, Russia
3,000 Steeplechase- Gold: Yuliya Zaripova, Russia
- Silver: Milcah Chemos Cheywa, Kenya
- Bronze: Sofia Assefa, Ethiopia
Full article and complete medal list can be found here
Two roaring performances from Olympics champion, Pamela Jelimo and Helen Obiri saw Kenya post a historic performance at the World Indoor Championships in Turkey.
Jelimo delivered an emphatic statement that she is something close to her best with a world leading 1:58.83 to bag Kenya’s first ever gold in the women 800m and 20 minutes later, Obiri replicated the fete in the women 3000m as she stunned four-time champion, Meseret Defar in 8:37.16.
It was the country’s best ever performance in the history of the event having previously won only a lone gold at the 2006 edition in Moscow through Olympics men champion, Wilfred Bungei.
The much vilified Olympics 800m women champion stormed back to the apex of her sport with a storming victory in the women four-lap race to set the Kenyan party rolling in Istanbul.
Jelimo motored around the track to banish three-years of hurt that dogged her since her memorable 2008 season when she won the outdoors Olympics title where unlike before, she sat back at the field before pouncing for victory at the last 300m.
Qualifying to the finals as a fastest loser, Jelimo bid her time in fourth place as the runners went through the two-laps with American runner, Erica Moore taking the finalists through 200m in 28:13 and 400m in 57.69.
Ukraine’s Nataliia Lupu took charge at the bell where she crossed the 600m in 1:28.07 with Jelimo shifting the gears to pull just behind her.
Lupu tried to breakaway at the back straight but the Olympic champion took the lead as they came in for the final bend before deploying the afterburners to charge to the line- in a rendition of her breakout year- to romp home in the world leading time.
Jelimo thus became the first woman from her nation to bag the World Indoors title and only the second Kenyan after Bungei.
Lupu led the challengers’ home for silver in a career best 1:59.67 with Moore closing the podium in 1:59.67.
And in one of the shocks of the competition, four-time women 3000m titleholder, Ethiopia’s Defar seemed set to bag a history making fifth as she powered away at the bell but Obiri, a debutant at this event pursued her, pulled level, before zooming away from the great to arrive home in 8:37.16.
Stunned Defar came in the bridesmaid position in 8:38.26 with compatriot Gelete Burka (8:40.18) taking bronze ahead of twice world championships silver winner, Sylvia Kibet (8:40.50) in fourth.
Before Jelimo hit the track, former Commonwealth champion, Augustine Choge won the first medals for Team Kenya in Istanbul with silver in the men 3000m while competriot, Edwin Soi who finished in the bronze position, was disqualified.
From the gun, Choge and Soi hit the front and led through the opening exchanges before the world 5000m, the British runner, Mo Farah took the lead with three left.
At the bell, Kenyan born American and defending champion, Bernard Lagat, nosed to the lead with Choge chasing hard as they pounded the back straight.
At the final curve, Lagat, 37, who had timed his race to perfection, opened up his gifted legs to power away from Choge (7:41.77) to the lien for gold in 7:41.44 as team mate Soi fought hard to finish in 7:41.78 ahead of Farah but after being initially disqualified, he was re-instated back to the bronze ahead of the Briton.
But the day surely belonged to Jelimo, whose sensational collapse after her fairytale 2008 season begun when she crashed out of the 2009 Berlin World Championships at the semi-final stage.
Jelimo, who was fading fast in the memories of distance running enthusiasts, was once again thrust to the national limelight when she posted her first sub 2:00 performance on her indoor debut over two-laps in France where she returned 1:59.10 for second.
She resurfaced to offer her story saying, “I ran so many races at such a high pace. After 2008, I had to recover and my body did not respond as I expected. I trained so hard and all over a sudden I got an injury.
“I participated in the Kenyan Trials for the 2009 World Championships and ran in Berlin where I forced myself to run with the injury. After that, I decided to take a break to build my confidence back.”
For Obiri, the disappointment of falling during the final of the World Championships last year in Daegu has been erased in the most spectacular fashion.
The Kenya Defence Force private who shot to prominence last year by winning the national 1500m title ahead of Olympics champion, Nancy Jebet Lagat.
started shaping her athletics career while still a secondary school student, she had illustrious company to inspire her in making the baby steps at Nairobi’s Riruta Satellite Secondary.
Kenya thus won two gold, a silver and bronze in Istanbul that bettered the two silver and a bronze the country won two years ago in Doha.
Among her peers there were the former World Youth/World Junior gold winner, Nelly Chebet Ngeiywo and the 2006 World Junior Champion, Pauline Korikwiang as she set out to be an 800m athlete.
 Kenya Athletes proved their prowes when they made a clean sweep in both mean and women's race in the just concluded Tanzania Kilimanjaro Marathon. David Kiprono claimed the Men's 42.2km category after clocking 2 hours, 13 minutes and 57seconds to take home a TSh 6m prize in cash prize (Approx.US $ 3,922) from the race’s main sponsors Tanzania Breweries Limited. Kiprono said shortly after the annual event that he was delighted to finally win the race after three appearances. "My dreams have come true because I had it in my mind that one day I would win the Kilimanjaro Marathon,” he said.His compatriots Ezekiel Kimtai and Kibet Timoth finished second and third in 2 hours, 14 minutes, 06 seconds and 2 hours, 15 minutes and 38 seconds, respectively. Kenyan runners were at the podium yet again makinga complete sweep in the top 10 runners in the women category. Monica Jopkoech dissapointed Tanzania runners when she women’s marathon when she breasted the finishing line in 2 hours, 42 minutes and 45 seconds to win the race. She took home US $ 3,922 in cash and compatriots Penic Jepkorir and Panuelag Anesomik followed each other in that category after finishing second and third in 2 hours, 43 minutes, 02 seconds and 2 hours, 43 minutes and 41 seconds. Thousands of spectators who gathered at the Moshi University College of Business Studies (Muccobs) Stadium were left puzzled when local runners failed even to make their presence felt at the event. Some of them opted to cheer foreign athletes who put up an impressive show . Tanzania minister for Information, Youth, Sports and Culture, Emmanuel Nchimbi, voiced disappointment over the local athletes’ poor show at the event.“It is very embarrassing to see our athletes falter at their own home soil and before their supporters,” the Minister said before handing over prizes to the winners. News by http://www.starafrica.com
This is your new blog post. Click here and start typing, or drag in elements from the top bar.
 Kenya's four-times world champion Vivian Cheruiyot will skip next month's world indoor championships to focus on the London Olympics after running her first event of the year in Birmingham on Saturday. Organisers said on Monday that the 5,000 and 10,000 metres world champion, who also won the 8km title at the world cross country championships last year, would take part in the 3,000m at the British meet. The event will be her first appearance of the year and only her second since winning the two world championship golds in Daegu, South Korea last August and September. "I will only run one indoor race this year so this will be a key meet for me - to see how my training has worked over the winter season and to see what I need to do in the next few months," the 29-year-old said in a statement. "The Olympics is so important to me, as it is to every athlete, but I think because I was ill in Beijing I'm pushing myself even harder to get a positive result in London." Cheruiyot said she would not take part in the world indoor championships in Istanbul because her focus was solely on the London Games which start on July 27. "Of course it is a shame not to race in a major championship but I want to concentrate on the most important thing for me this year and that is the Olympics," she said. News from http://af.reuters.com/article/commoditiesNews/idAFL4E8DD3DA20120213
 Kenya's marathon world record holder Patrick Makau said Wednesday he would be going for an historic double victory in April's London marathon and the Olympic Games in the same city three months later. Makau, who set a new world mark of 2hr 3min 38sec in winning the Berlin marathon last September, is among six elite Kenyans lined up for the London marathon on April 22.He also heads the provisional list of five Olympic probables named last month for the 2012 Olympics, of which the final three will be picked after the London marathon. "I am ready to run the London marathon in April and also in the Olympics," said Makau, who will begin his preparations in a half-marathon in Nairobi on February 19. The race is being organised by Athletics Kenya and former world marathon record holder Paul Tergat as part of the 40th anniversary celebrations of the Nairobi-based United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). Makau said he is well aware of the daunting task he will face in the London marathon when he comes up against compatriots including the reigning champion Emmanuel Mutai and the double world champion Abel Kirui. "The competition will be tough but I am preparing well and I think I will be in good shape. The two events mean so much for me," he said. Meanwhile, Lord Sebastian Coe, the chairman of the Local Organising Committee of the London Olympic Games, on Wednesday said Kenyan athletes are a great hit in Great Britain and he looks forward to hosting Rudisha and co. for the Games. Coe, speaking to the Daily Nation on telephone from Dar es Salaam where he was touring as part of the London Olympics’ International Inspiration programme, said he was proud, as a member of the Laureus World Sports Academy, to have voted for triple world champion Vivian Cheruiyot as the female world sportswoman of the year on Monday. “Kenyan athletes are very popular in the UK and many of them spend a lot of time training and competing in the United Kingdom and it would be great to welcome them for the Olympics,” said Coe. (NMG) News from http://thecitizen.co.tz/sport/-/19646-kenyas-makau-eyes-historic-london-double
London 2012 organisers have taken control of the Olympic Village site in a ceremony marking six months until the start of the Games.
The village's 2,818 flats will now be fitted out to cater for 16,000 athletes and officials from 200 countries.
As well as 64,000 bed sheets, the village will need 11,000 sofas, 170,000 coat hangers and 5,000 toilet brushes.
Organisers have also revealed details of the Games' opening ceremony which will be watched by one billion people
News from: BBC.com | |
Compared to previous wins in long distance running, Kenya will be trying to find GOLD in short distance running this year in London. See how they got on in this video this video of Kenya Sprinters trials.
| |
 Kenyan athletes have won a total of 75 medals, all in athletics and boxing at the Summer Olympics.
Over time Kenya has been represented in athletics, boxing, cycling, swimming, hockey and archery. Kenya’s first participation at the Summer Olympic Games was in 1956 in Melbourne, Australia where it sent 3 athletes to compete in Men’s 5000M (Nyandika Maiyoro), Marathon (Arap Sum Kanuti) and High jump (Joseph Leresae) who failed to win any medal.
Nyandika Maiyoro (5000M) was the only competitor for the next Olympic Games in 1960 in Rome Italy finishing in 6th position.
Kenya registered its maiden medal through a Bronze medal won by Wilson Kiprugut in Men’s 800M in Tokyo, Japan at the 1964 Games also competed by Men’s hockey team.
The Summer Olympic Games held in Mexico City, Mexico in 1968 proved successful with Kenya winning 3 Gold medals through Kipchoge Keino (1500M), Naftali Temu (10,000M) and Amos Biwott (3000M steeplechase), 4 Silver and 2 Bronze medals as was at the next Games held at Munich, West Germany in 1972 with 2 gold medals through Kipchoge Keino (3000M steeplechase) and the 4x400M relay team, 3 Silver and Bronze medals.
 The Kenya Table Tennis Association (KTTA) is selecting and preparing players for London 2012 Olympics qualifiers.
The Association hopes to send a team of three men and two women to the final Olympics qualification tournament in Doha and Qatar in May.
Tournaments will be run in Thika County in February followed by the tour of Nyanza.
Points accrued last season will be carried forward to the 2012 season.
KTTA Secretary Andrew Mudibo said the association is keen on popularising the sport at the grassroots.
"We plan to polarise the sport at county level which is why we intend incorporate school and colleges into our system and subsequently make them affiliate associations of the KTTA," Mudibo said.
The first qualifiers for table tennis for Africa were during the 2011 All Africa Games held in Maputo, Mozambique. During the Africa qualifiers, Kenyan players did not qualify for London Olympic Games.
Fahd Daim and Sejal Chandarana posted good results as they missed the Africa qualification slots when they were eliminated in the quarter-final stages of the qualification tournament.
To ensure that Kenyans get the best exposure before the Olympics Qualifiers next year, KTTA has plans to secure the services of a coach from China for a period of two months (March and April), which will be before the final Olympics qualifiers.
"We will get a coach from China because this is the leading nation in table tennis. We want the NOCK to approve our proposal to enable the coach to carry out training where the rounds will be held since all top players will be in attendance.
|
RSS Feed