Accomplished distant runner young Edward Zakayo has set his eyes on dominating the men’s 10,000m at Commonwealth Games starting Thursday in Birmingham, England

Even as he gears for top honours in his first competitive track race for the country since the 2019 African Games in Rabat, Morocco, Zakayo is confident he will return victorious.

Zakayo, 20, will be lining in the men’s long-distance track race (10,000m) on Tuesday, with the intent to make it to the podium.

“I settled for bronze in 2018 when I was still a junior, but I have drawn many lessons since then. I am ripe for the big stage, having overcome injury challenges,” said Zakayo.

The former World Under 20 champion is motivated by missing a place in the Kenyan team for this year’s World Athletics Championships that ended on Monday.

“Last year I missed a place in the Olympic Games because I had a nagging injury. 

“Then last month a failed in my quest to debut at the world championships as I couldn’t qualify within the allocated slots. 

“I’m in good shape now and I want to see how I will run because this will be my first international assignment with Kenya,” said Zakayo.

Zakayo will partner with Kibiwott Kandie and Daniel Simiu in Birmingham.

“We have a strong team that is likely to do well and dominate during the final, I want to urge my teammates to employ the spirit of teamwork,” said Zakayo.

Last batch

Zakayo is among the last batch of Team Kenya that was due to leave the country Tuesday evening for Birmingham, England.

Ten athletes and seven officials will be leaving to join a contingent of over 100 athletes, who have already arrived in Birmingham for the Games opening ceremony on Thursday.  

World Under-20 3,000m steeplechase champion Amos Serem, hammer throwers Lucy Omondi and Linda Oseso are some of the athletes who were due to fly out.

Others are javelin thrower Alexander Kiprotich and 2017 World Cross Country champion Irene Cheptai (10,000m), national trials 5,000m winner Selah Jepleting, 400m hurdler William Mbevi and Cornelius Kemboi (5,000m). 

Teams that are already in Birmingham are hockey, lawn bowls, triathlon, judo, wheelchair basketball, 3×3 basketball, boxing, table tennis, badminton, wrestling, swimming, beach volleyball, para-athletics, athletics, para-powerlifting, cycling, para-cycling and rugby sevens.