NAIROBI, Kenya, June 19 – The 2016 Olympics javelin silver medalist Julius Yego says he was not impressed with his performance at the past weekend’s national trials for the Paris Olympics at the Nyayo Stadium.
Yego admits his performance was not the best since he failed to meet the qualifying mark of 85.50m.
“To say the truth, I am not happy with my performance today because I have not met the qualifying mark. Nonetheless, I accept the outcome; this is something that happens at times in a championships setting. It is what it is and I just have to live with it,” the 2015 world champion said.
Yego continued his dominance at the local level with a throw of 76.42m, which hoisted him to first place, ahead of Methuselah Kiprop (73.56m) and Duncan Kinyanjui (72.64m) in second and third respectively.
The win notwithstanding, he described the performance as a result of a torrid day in the office in which everything went against him.
“I don’t know…I am yet to know why it didn’t work out because the javelin couldn’t go further enough. That is the only thing I can say,” he said.
The four-time African champion has another throw of the dice at this week’s Africa Athletics Senior Championships in Douala, Cameroon where he hopes to secure his place in Paris.
“For now, that is where my attention is at (African Championships) and that will hopefully get me closer to the Olympics,” the reigning continental champion said.
Amid the disappointing day, Yego is encouraged by the emergence of ‘Young Turks’ in whose hands he believes Kenyan javelin will be secure.
“There’s a young athlete (Methusellah Kiprop) who finished second during the national trials for the African Championships and has finished second today as well. I think he has a bright future and if he continues on the same trajectory he is due for good things. I am happy that he will be in Cameroon and that will be a great opportunity for him to test himself in an international competition,” he said.
Yego’s season in 2024 has been one of mixed fortunes: winning silver at the African Games in March before finishing a disappointing ninth at the Kip Keino Classic in April, following an injury.
He was also in action at the Doha Diamond League in May where he came eighth with a throw of 78.37m.
