Nairobi Star (Nairobi)
Muigai Kiguru
22 December 2011
National athletics coach Julius Kirwa predicts a tough 2012 athletics year for the Kenya after excellent performances this year.
Kirwa believes Athletics Kenya will have to work hard to ensure to maintain the high standards set by athletes both at regional and global levels of competition. “2011 was a very good year for our runners and the challenge now is to ensure we take the same performances to next year particularly because it is an Olympics year,” said Kirwa. The 30th edition of the Summer Games will be held in London between July 27 and August 12 next year.
Kirwa said he will be laying a special focus on reclaiming the 800m gold medals that were won by Wilfred Bungei and Pamela Jelimo at the 2008 edition of the games held in Beijing, China. “Kenya has abundant talent and all that matters is a great understanding between an athlete and coach,” he said. “I have a vision that we are going to do well and the athletes have also shown they are ready to work hard as they did this year.” “You know surprises in Kenya can come from anywhere and we might even have some unknown athletes making the list the Olympic Games,” observed Kirwa.
According to Kirwa, the Kenyan athletics calendar kicks off in March 2012, from where a rigorous selection process will be embarked on to identify the strongest team to represent the country in London. Kenyans dominated the major athletics events in the world this year, finishing third at the World Championships in Daegu and posting a similar position at the All Africa Games. Individual Kenyan runners took the honours at other major events including London, Boston, New City York and Chicago Marathons. The year also saw individual brilliance from among others double world champion Vivian Cheruiyot (5,000 and 10,000m), world marathon record holder Patrick Makau and world 800m record holder David Rudisha.
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