Athletics Kenya faces a selection headache after newbies bloomed at the Olympic pre-trials but are yet to meet the anti-doping rules that require they take three tests before the Tokyo Games.
New stars emerged at the three-day Tokyo Olympics pre-trials that concluded at Nyayo National Stadium on Saturday but have not done the three mandatory World Athletics (WA) out-of-competition tests 10 months prior to a major championship such as the Olympics or the World Athletics Championships. The tests must comprise one blood test.
From the Nyayo pre-trials, it is evident that some athletes outside WA and Anti-Doping of Kenya (Adak) testing pools could win events during the Tokyo Olympics trials scheduled for June 17 to 19 at Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani.
However, there is a danger of these athletes missing out on the Tokyo Olympic Games scheduled for July 23 to August 8 in the Japanese capital for failing to meet the anti-doping requirements.
For instance, Global Sports Communication’s Noah Ngeny, who won the men’s 800m in a world lead of 1:43.84 at the pre-trials and the winner of women’s 5,000m final Naomi Chepng’eno from Keringet (15:34.10) have not met the anti-doping regulations.
Rongai Athletic Club’s Vincent Keter, who stormed to victory in men’s 1,500m in 3:38.67 and Sharon Lodeki, the winner of women’s 10,000m in 31:43.34 have also not met the conditions.
AK is considering writing to or having meetings with WA’s integrity arm, Athletes Integrity Unit (AIU), and Adak to explore the possibilities of having the newcomers, who have not met the anti-doping conditions, to be given consideration.
“There are always surprises at our national trials and we should expect them during the Tokyo Olympics trials,” said AK President Jack Tuwei. “We will consult first before knowing how to approach WA and Adak in this kind of scenario.”
Athletes Michael Kibet and Daniel Simiu missed the 2019 Doha World Athletics Championships after finishing first and second in the 5,000m national trials but fell short of the anti-doping rules.
Kibet and Simiu were in the WA and Adak testing pool in which most of the athletes met the requirements.
WA and Adak have since added more athletes into their testing pools, with Adak going out of its way to do tests outside their pool.
The final day of the pre-trials belonged to Ngeny of Global Sports Communication in Kaptagat after he grabbed the world lead from training mate Wycliffe Kinyamal, who had just posted a world lead of 1:43.91 in Doha on Friday night.
The time was Ngeny’s personal best and the Tokyo Olympic Games qualifying standard.
Mary Moraa from Kenya Police intensified her journey to qualify for Tokyo Olympic Games when she downed a personal best 2:01.12 to win the women’s 800m race.
National 400m record holder Hellen Syombua cruised to a season’s best of 52.92 while winning the women’s 400m race with Kenya Defence Forces’ Cleophas Kipruto emerging the surprise winner in men’s 400m in 45.57.
Nicholas Chirchir and Brigit Jelagat, all from KDF, won the men’s and women’s 400m hurdles in 50.45 and 1:01.21 respectively.
Josephine Chelagat from Kenya Defence Forces and Rongai’s Vincent Keter won men’s and women’s 1,500m titles in 4:10.48 and 3:38.67.
