Why Kenya’s future in middle distance races looks bright

Kenya’s future in middle-distance races at the international level is safe,   athletics coach Jacob Lang’at observes.

 Lang’at said the country looks competitive in the events at the world level because there are several upcoming runners in 800m, 1500m and 3000m whose future looks bright.

 “There is Abel Kipsang, Timothy Cheruiyot and Vincent Keter who have taken the middle distance mantle from those athletes who retired or are about to retire,” he said.

 The upcoming runners are Collins Kipruto and Nicholas Kiplang’at both running 800m, Reynald Kipkorir 1500m Gilbert Rono 800m, Peninah Wangari 800m/1500m, Ernest Kiprotich and Maureen Chepkirui 800m.

 “Apart from Kipruto, Wangari and Kiplang’at who are in the senior category, all the rest are juniors and that gives me hope that soon the middle distance will belong to Nyahururu,” the coach said.

 He said he has decided to specialize in coaching middle-distance runners because that is where the market is not saturated at the international level.

Middle distance

 “If you look at the world map today you find that the competition in the middle distance is between Kenya, Britain and Norway.

 “That means runners in the events in that category have better prospects and that is how I decided to specialize in handling training programmes for those events,” Langat said.

 His efforts are already paying off after one of his athletes, Reynald Kipkorir won a gold medal in 1500m at the World Under 20 championships in Cali, Colombia in South America this year.

 He said he expected gold also in the Under-20 800m because Noah Kibet was in top shape when he won trials in Nairobi.

 Currently, he has about 10 middle-distance athletes training under him at the Nyahururu Athletics Club.

 “I know soon the world will start seeing more middle-distance runners from Nyahururu,” he said.