Keringet  Athletics Camp-based Daniel Kinyanjui is bracing for the 2022 World Under 20 Athletics Championships that will take place from August 1 to 6 in Cali, Colombia.  

This is after the 17-year-old qualified to represent Team Nairobi at the national Under 20 trials due on July 1 to 2 at Nyayo national stadium. 

“I was very disappointed with my performance, I felt like I had let down my country since that was the first final of the championship,” recounted Kinyanjui who had finished seventh during the previous championships in Nairobi. 

Kinyanjui who in April competed in Adizero Road Race in Germany said his preparations have been going on well. 

“My preparations have been good and training with senior athletes like Benson Kiplagat who is the reigning men’s 5000m champion and other senior athletes have given me a different experience,” he added. 

On Saturday, Kinyanjui set the fastest time in the two finals, qualifying to represent team Nairobi at the national championship next month. 

Kinyanjui clocked 8:02.0, followed by Gideon Kipngetich at 8:05.6 and Peter Kamau came home third in 8:07.6.   

“I still need to push myself because I have two boys from South Rift who have already done sub 8 in the regionals, so even as I do my training I want to get to that level,” concluded Kinyanjui who will lead some 27 athletes that were picked on Saturday following a one-day Athletics Kenya Nairobi Region trials at Kenya Prisons Nairobi West ground. 

In other results, Hannah Njeri, a class eight pupil at Longonot Primary School, Nakuru and Gideon Limerian ruled in their respective 800m races to snatch tickets to the national trials. 

Njeri, 14, clocked 2:13.5 to claim the only ticket in the women’s 800m as Limerian edged out Jackton Kipkosgei, clocking 1:51.6 against 1:52.0 to make the Nairobi team. 

Race walk champion

Florence Chepkoech and Fancy Chepkorir claimed the first two places in women’s 1,500m in 4:35.7 and 4:44.6 to book their tickets as Daniel Kosen and Anderson Kibet reigned in the men’s race in 3:49.0 and 3:50.0 to also secure their places.  Also included in Team Nairobi is the 10,000m race walk champion, Heristone Wanyonyi. 

At the same time, AK’s Youth Development Committee director Barnaba Korir said that the conclusion of regional events now paves the way for the national event. 

Korir said the extensive preparations are necessary to ensure they produce the strongest team possible as they seek to defend their title for the third time.  

“We want to defend the title we won in Tampere (Finland) and Nairobi so we must prepare well. The purpose of these pre-trials is to ensure that every talented athlete gets a chance to compete unlike when they compete individually in which case some of them may not have the resources to travel for these competitions,” he said.  

Korir gave his stamp of approval to the progress made thus far in preparing the juniors for the battles ahead.