World Cup: Nine Kenyans in Africa’s Squad

Kenya, which topped the standings at the Africa Senior Athletics Championships in Asaba has nine athletes in Africa’s IAAF Continental Cup team for the championships to be held in Ostrava, Czech Republic on September 8-9.

Kenya with 19 medals, including 11 golds, will be represented by only nine athletes next month fewer than former champion South Africa which has the highest number of athletes, with 20.

The 2015 World javelin champion Julius Yego, who reclaimed his javelin throw title, and Mathew Sawe, who retained his high jump crown are the Kenyans in field events discipline that made it into the squad.

World, Olympics and Commonwealth Games gold medalist Conseslus Kipruto (3,000m steeplechase), World Hellen Obiri (5,000m) and Elijah Manangoi (1,500m) are in the team.

World record holder Beatrice Chepkoech (3000m steeplechase), who won women’s 3,000m steeplechase in Asaba, Wunderkind Edward Zakayo, who won the 5,000m title at the World Under-20 and Africa Championships, has been picked in his specialty.

The new Africa 1,500m champion Winny Chebet will square it off in the metric mile race with Emmanuel Korir, who settled for silver in 800m battling in the two-lap race.

The Kenyan quartet of Jared Momanyi, Alfas Kishoyian, Aaron Koech and Emmanuel Korir won the gold medal  in Asaba with a Championships Record time of 3:00.92, but none of the athletes were included in the African team.

Team Nigeria has 16 athletes; Morocco has a total of six athletes, while Egypt and Ethiopia both have four athletes on the team.

Cameroon, Ghana, Guinea Bissau, Burundi, Swaziland, Uganda and Djibouti only have one athlete each on the team.

The Continental Cup is held every four years since 2010, replacing the previous Athletics World Cup and involves teams from Africa, the Americas, Asia-Pacific and Europe.