As more Team Kenya members returned home from Tokyo Tuesday, Athletics Kenya president Jackson Tuwei has attributed their inability to strike gold in some races at the Olympic Games to inexperience and injuries.
“The athletes tried their level best despite the challenges we had like the Covid-19 pandemic which disrupted training,” said Tuwei.
“We were hit by a few injuries to athletes who were strong and had trained well like (Geoffrey) Kamworor and even Beatrice (Chepkoech).
“Kamworor was our strongest runner in 10,000m, but unfortunately, he picked an (ankle) injury before travelling and we had to replace him. I take this opportunity to wish those who got injured a quick recovery. It is painful to miss out on such a big event. We missed them in the Olympics,” he said.
Bit the dust
Kenya bit the dust in men’s 10,000 as Rodgers Kwemoi, Rhonex Kipruto, and Weldon Langat finished seventh, ninth, and 20th from a list of 25 runners on July 30.
And for the first time in 37 years, Kenya lost out on men’s 3,000m steeplechase gold with Benjamin Kigen the best placed at position three in the final.
Abraham Kibiwott finished 10th out of 15, while Leonard Bett was eliminated in the heats.
Nicholas Kimeli finished a place outside the medal bracket in 5,000m, Daniel Ebenyo Simiu got eliminated in round one, while Samuel Masai was withdrawn before the race on medical grounds after he suffered a tendon injury.