Coach Ouma asks fans to reduce pressure on athletes ahead of Summer Games
By Vincent Voiyoh, July 12, 2024With the clock ticking fast for the 2024 Paris Olympics Games in France,Team Kenya’s middle distance coach Bernard Ouma has asked the fans to ease pressure on athletes for better performances.
According to coach Ouma,it is difficult for some athletes to perform under negative pressure and the huge demand for desired results at the biggest global sporting event.
“Athletes are also human and anything can happen before the race. If they are not settle psychologically then it becomes difficult to give a good outcome due to performance anxiety.Therefore, let us not put immense pressure on the athletes. I know they have trained well and they are ready to fight for the pride of our country.Our is that they are motivated enough for the challenge ahead since both the Ministry of Sports,NOCK and Athletics Kenya have taken good care of us in camp,” coach Ouma told People Sport.
Team Kenya’s Paris Olympics 800m athletes were taken through their paces as the countdown continues for the Summer Games.
Coach Ouma is taking care of middle distance athletes ranging from 800m,1500 and the 3000m.
He says that all is well with the preparations thus far and the remaining part is about fine tuning to ensure no room for error as the cohort prepare to leave the country for the Miramas camp and then later for Paris.
“We are doing the final touches,just sharpening since the athletes are already on top shape ahead of the competition. part of the final training includes confidence boost and running style in terms of race simulations.”
The experienced Ouma was part of the technical team in Tokyo,Japan three years ago and prides himself for securing three medals in the middle distance races that is 800m and 1500m.
In the men’s 800m at the Tokyo Olympics, Emmanuel Korir struck a gold medal while Ferguson Rotich finished second to settle for a silver medal.
Timothy Cheruiyot also won a sliver medal at the Games in the men’s 1500m.
The women’s team failed to spur in the 800m with the then fresher Mary Moraa getting eliminated in the heat one of the semifinals. Emily Cherotich exited the competition early following her elimination in the first round.
First forward,things are looking good and promising.Even though Korir did make the cut in the Men’s 800 for the Paris dance,youngster Emmanuel Wanyonyi is promising to have much in store for Kenya as he teams up with experienced Wycliffe Kinyamal and Koitatoi Kidali.
Mary Moraa is also heading to Paris in a different capacity now.She has the world title in the women’s 800m and all eyes will be on her to dazzle after her Budapest exploits. She has a personal best of 1.56.03 something that should give her the needed confidence.
Lilian Odira who finished top at the Kenya trials is also oozing with optimism of giving a good show in her debut Olympics. Odira who is attached to the Kenya Prisons Service is fresh from winning a silver medal at the African Athletics Championships in Douala, Cameron. Vivian Chebet of the Kenya Defence Forces made the cut for Olympics through the world rankings. She has two bronze medals from the 2023 All African Games hosted in Accra, Ghana and the 2024 African Athletics Championships.