Kenya’s three Olympic-bound sprinters leave for Kurume City

By Timothy Olobulu

The 100m duo of Ferdinand Omanyala and Mark Otieno as well as 400m sprinter Hellen Syombua left the country on Tuesday evening for a 10-day training camp in Kurume City ahead of the Tokyo Olympics.

The three will join up with the men and women's rugby sevens teams as well as the women's volleyball team who have already settled in the City which will host Kenyan athletes before the Tokyo Games.

"I'm feeling great, it's been a journey and now it's becoming real; it's becoming real with every second and we are going to show the world what Kenya is made of in sprints," an excited Omanyala said.

He added; "'I'm just going there to make it real; I feel fast and strong and all I can tell Kenyans is to be glued on screens and await miracles."

The duo qualified for the Olympics during the Kenyan trials after trying over and over again in different races. In punishing altitude, Omanyala ran 10.02secs to break Otieno's National Record while the latter clocked 10.05secs to also make it through to Tokyo with a new Personal Best time.

Otieno who had tried over and over to earn the ticket to Tokyo without success was delighted to clinch it on the final day and ahead of the travel to Kurume, he could not hide his excitement.

"I even missed breakfast!! I am just so excited and strong, I didn't train today, when I woke up, however my coach is aware but I feel fine." He giggled.

Meanwhile Hellen Syombua, the national 400m record holder will join the 100m sprinters in the journey to Kurume.

The 23-year-old whose mark of 51. 09 seconds is the fastest in the country, raced to victory in the 400m at the finals of Athletics Kenya National trials which she won in 52.44.

"All I can ask Kenyans to do is pray for me, to continue supporting me because that's what we need most. I feel ready and supported." Said Syombua.

The new gem in women's 400m gives Kenya high hopes of winning the elusive women's short races medal at the Olympic Games slated for July 23rd to August 8th in Tokyo, Japan.

Kenya is known for middle and long distance running where they dominate from the 800m to the marathons. The sprinters are now turning heads with each performance on the track.

They feel everything is going on well, especially after training with coach Geoffrey Kimani who doubles up as the strength and conditioning coach for team Kenya.

This article was originally published by Capital FM. [Photo: Raymond Makhaya]