NAIROBI, Kenya, Aug 4 – The third day of the athletics program at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, United Kingdom offers Kenya another opportunity to show its growth in sprints with the 200m Heats lined up.
Here is Kenya’s full plate on day three in Birmingham.
1:25pm – Men’s 1500m Heats
Kenya’s representatives will be keen to make up for missing medals at the World Championships in Oregon a fortnight ago and their eyes will be on the Commonwealth redemption.
The country will only have two athletes after Kumari Taki was sent home from the Games, with the National Olympic Committee of Kenya (NOCK) yet to give reasons why he was ejected.
Kenya won the title in 2018, Elijah Manangoi bursting to victory while training partner Timothy Cheruiyot settled for silver. In the absence of Manangoi, the onus will be on Cheruiyot to ensure Kenya retains the title.
The 2019 World Champion will be first up on the track in Heat One. Among the competition is expected is from Scot Josh Kerr, the Olympic Games bronze medalist.
Abel Kipsang who finished behind Kerr at the Olympic Games will be in Heat Two and will be up against recently crowned World Champion Jake Wightman who is running for Scotland.
2:01pm – Men’s 200m Heats
After Ferdinand Omanyala and Samwel Imeta put Kenya on the world map in the 100m, the 200m sprinters will be looking to replicate the feat and hunt for the elusive gold.
Kenya Defense speedstar Forces Mike Mokamba will be first up in Heat One where he is the second fastest in the pile, with a season’s best of 20.65 and a personal best of 20.48.
England’s Zharnel Hughes is the fastest in the field having run 20.29 this season.
Hesborn Ochieng will line up in Heat Two where he is the third fastest in the field while Dan Kiviasi lines out in Heat Three.