Kenya will participate in the 400-meter men’s, 400-meter men’s hurdles, and 4×400-meter mixed relay events at the 33rd Olympic Games in Paris, France.
The opening ceremony for the games is scheduled for July 26, 2024 along river Siene in Paris.
Africa’s fastest man, Ferdinand Omonyala, Zablon Ekwam, and Wiseman Were, will be the only Kenyan sprinters in Paris, while the relay team comprises Boniface Mweresa, Veronica Mutua, Kelvin Tauta, David Sanayek, Mercy Chebet, Kelvin Kipkorir, and Maureen Thomas.
With a time of 9.77 in the 100 metres, Omanyala is the second fastest man going into the Paris Olympics.
However, in contrast to the last World Championships and the previous Olympic Games three years ago, the two-time African champion is under less pressure to perform well on the biggest international stage, which he believes will work to his advantage.
Another talented Kenyan sprinter in Paris at the age of 26 is Zablon Ekwam.
He boasts of having a personal best time of 44.69 and was a member of the 4x400m relay team that placed fourth at the World Indoors in Glasgow, matching his performance from the 4x400m mixed relay at the Africa Senior Championships in Cameron last month. He has been in incredible form this year.
Finally, but certainly not least, Wiseman Were, an individual sprinter competing in this year’s Olympics, will be taking on the Olympic track for the first time.
The 26-year-old is the reigning national champion and also the 2024 Kip Keino classic champion in 400m hurdles.
In addition to being the current national champion, the 26-year-old won the 400-meter hurdles Kip Keino Classic in 2024.
He was part of the team that won bronze in the 2022 Commonwealth Games in the 4x400m relay, managed a 4th finish in the 400m hurdles in the same Birmingham championships, and finished 4th in last month’s 400m hurdles at the Africa senior championships.
He also finished 4th in this year’s All Africa games in Accra, Ghana.
