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Seasoned sprinters, among them national 100 metres record holder in men’s category Mark Otieno, Ferdinand Omanyala, Millicent Ndoro and Joan Cherono, were in own class, easily beating opponents on Saturday in the first leg of the National Relay Series at Kenya Prisons grounds in Nairobi West.
Saturday’s championship also saw women’s national 100 metres record holder, Maximilla Imali, start her season strongly, as former national 400m champion, Grace Kidake, made a return to the track after 18 months.
Africa and World Cup 1,500m champion Winnie Chebet won women’s 800m race in 2 minutes, 12.6 seconds, with the 2016 World Under-20 800m champion Alfred Kipketer posting the fastest time in 800m of 1:49.9.
Otieno (Posta) might have won the fifth heat of 200m in 21.9 seconds to be ranked second in a tie, but its Omanyala (University of Nairobi), who won his sixth 200m heat with the fastest time of 21.7.
Gilbert Osure (Kenya Defence Forces) won the third 200m heat in 21.9, with Samuel Chege (Kenya Navy) also claiming victory in the fifth heat in 21.9.
Elisha Yego (Police) won the second heat in fifth fastest time of 22.3, as Hesbon Ochieng also claimed the second heat in 22.3.
“It’s a good start but I hope to lower my time in the subsequent races,” said Otieno, who represented Kenya in 200m at the 2017 World Championships and 2018 Commonwealth Games.
Otieno said he is focused on getting the ticket in Kenya’s 4x200m team for the World Relays Championships planned for May 11 to 12 in Yokohama, Japan and at the African Games due August 23 to September 3 in Casablanca.
Otieno hopes to lower both his personal best of 100m (10.14) and 200m (24.41) to qualify for the World Athletics Championships in Doha. “I’m targeting to dip under 20 seconds in 200m, and sub-10 seconds time in 100m, God willing,” said Otieno.
The second and third AK Relay Series will be held on March 16 and April 6 in Kisumu and Nakuru respectively. The Series will culminate in the national trials on April 13 at the Lorna Kiplagat Stadium in Iten, Elgeyo Marakwet County, where a team will be picked for the Yokohama event.
Ndoro (Rongai) glided to victory in her 100m and 200m heats with the fastest times of 12.1 second and 24.2 seconds respectively.
Ndoro won second heat of women’s 200m in 24.2, beating former national junior champion Damaris Akoth (Prisons) in 25.5. Purity Nduku was third in 25.9.
Maureen Thomas (Individual) claimed the second heat in the second fastest time of 24.8, beating Imali (Police) in 25.00 as Cherono (Police) won the third 200m heat in the third fastest time of 24.8, beating Kidake (Posta) to second in 26.5.
Ndoron won her 100m race in 12.1 beating Purity Nduku in 12.6 while Imali won the third heat in the second fastest time of 12.3, flooring Quentor Kisembe 12.6.
“I am glad to be back and I hope to represent Kenya again,” Kidake, who represented Kenya in 4x400m at the 2017 World Relays before taking leave, said.
“I’m using the 100m and 200m for speed since my target is 400m this season,” said Imali, who is eyeing a place in the 4x400m and mixed 400m relays teams for the World Relays.
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