Kenya mixed 4x400m relay team qualifies for Paris Olympic Games

Kenya’s mixed 4x400m metres team has officially qualified for this year’s Paris Olympic Games after gaining the two valuable ‘top list’ places as per the updated World Athletics standings.

The Kenyan team, which missed out on an automatic spot during the World Athletics Relay Championships in May, was by the proposed 30 June qualification deadline, ranked inside the desired top 16 places, guaranteeing their place at the Summer Games.

Going by their season-best time of 3:11.88 set at the Kenya Paris Olympic Trials at Nyayo National Stadium on 15 June, the Kenyan team was ranked 16th in the world, qualifying alongside Italy, who clocked a faster time - 3:10.69 - at the Stadio Olimpico on 7 June.

The two nations now fill the list of mixed 4x400m relay teams at the Olympic Games, and join 14 others that automatically qualified at the Relay Championships in Nahau, Bahamas.

The other qualified nations include: United States, Netherlands, Nigeria, Bahamas, Belgium, Poland, Dominican Republic, France, Great Britain, Germany, Jamaica, Ukraine, Switzerland, and Ireland.

Kenya’s attempt at automatic qualification in Bahamas ended devastatingly, as the team comprising of Kennedy Kimeu, Mercy Chebet, Kevin Kipkorir, and Maureen Thomas, finished eighth in Heat Three, clocking 3:19.90.

In a bid to make amends, this year’s Olympians Mary Moraa and Zablon Ekwam - who missed the aforementioned relay championships - joined the duo of Chebet and Kelvin Sane Tauta, setting the time that now sees them head for the Olympic Games for the first time.

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Kenya men’s 4x400m and 4x100m teams will however not take part in Paris after placing 20th and 22nd in the world rankings.

The Olympics mixed 4x400m event begins on 2 August at the Stade de France Stadium.