Kenya: Mumias Explodes

Nairobi Star (Nairobi)

29 April 2011

Athletes from the Kip Keino High Performance Training Centre (HPTC) in Eldoret will add international flavour to the Athletics Kenya/ National Bank meeting starting today in Mumias. Athletes from at least five countries are expected in Mumias this morning for the two-day event.

Leading the HPTC runners will be Marvin Blanco from Venezuela, who specialises in the 3,000m steeplechase with a personal best time of 8:39 minutes. Blanco will, however take part in the 1,500m and 5,000m at the Mumias meeting. “I will not be running in my 3,000m steeplechase specialty in Mumias as I am looking to improve my speeed and endurance. “By taking part in the 1,500m , I will be gauging my speed and the 5,000m race will give me the necessary endurance,” he said.

The Venezuelan said he is targeting to run at least 8:20 by the time he ends his training tenure in Kenya in June. Mali’s Mousa Camara will take part in the 800m. Camara has a personal best time of 1:51 in 800m but will be targeting 1:48 at the end of his training period here.

Sri Lanka, best known for cricket, will have two runners in Mumias. Chaminda Wijekoon will race in the men’s 1,500m while compatriot Champika Dilkurshi will run in the women’s 1,500m

Wijekoon has a personal best of 3:40 in the men’s 1,500m while Champika has 4:22 in the women’s category. Tony Wamula of Zambia will race in the 1,500m and has a time of 13:24 while Sudan’s Alwia Makii will be bidding for honours in the 800m, where she has posted 2:03. Makii was fourth at the Kisii Meeting and hopes to improve on her performance this time round.

HPTC coach Joseph Ngure said the athletes are improving fast and their target is to run in the the 2012 Olympics for their respective countries. “They are so determined and the enviroment which is filled with champions makes them work even harder,” he said.

He cited the case of Sudanese Ahmed Ismail Ahmed, who trained at the HPTC and went on to win a silver medal at the 2008 Olympic Games.

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