Kenya: Jelimo for Mumias

Nairobi Star (Nairobi)

26 April 2011

Olympic 800m chaampion is set to run at weekend meeting in build-up for national trials for world championship

Olympic 800m champion Pamela Jelimo is expected to honour the fourth Athletics Kenya/ National Bank weekend meeting in Mumias this weekend.

According to her manager Barnabas Korir, Jelimo will run in her speciality race as she tries to gain form for the national championship cum trials. Korir said the star who took the world by storm in 2008 is determined to make the Kenya team to the World Championships in Daegu, South Korea later in the year.

“She is back and focused and I will not be surprised to see her back at the top,” said Korir.

Jelimo ran in 200 and 1,500m races during the second AK/ National Bank meeting in Narok but skipped Kisii, a week ago.

In Mumias, She will be up against Cuban Yusueysis Sautiusti from the IOC High Performance Centre in Eldoret who won the Kisii meeting. Others expected to push her will be Uganda’s Annette Negesa and Viola Kibiwott, who finished second and third respectively during the Kisii meeting. The Cuban posted an impressive 2:03 to set pace for those who want to make the Kenya team in the event.

Apart from the 800m, the focus will be on the 200m by virtue of the fact Western Province produces sprinters.

The women’s 200m is expected to be interesting with Grace Kidake bidding to impress the home fans. She however faces stiff competition from Milka Ndoro, who won the event in Kisii. Maureen Cherono and Agnes Aneno will be the other athletes to watch in the event. However, there is another new kid on the block Roselyn Indimuli from the Armed Forces, who has vowed to set the Mumias complex on fire.

According to Athletics Kenya (AK) Western branch chairman Henry Alukhaba, a humber of Ugandan runners have confirmed participation for the meeting.

“This will be good build-up for the Ugandans because of the proximity of the distance between Mumias and Kampala,” he said.

He said it is all systems go in Mumias and Mumias Sugar Company Managing director Evans Kidero will be the guest of honour.

He added that pole-vault and high jump will not take place due to lack of landing gear. Apart from the two events, the AK Western branch boss said the rest of the events will run as earlier scheduled and will start on Friday 7 am with the women’s hammer event.

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