Kenya’s 5,000m contingent to the Tokyo World Athletics Championships set for uphill task
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Reading Time: 2min | Thu. 11.09.25. | 08:44
Added to the intense competition is a story of near misses, which has seen the nation endure a rough spell without gold
Kenyan athletes will be in the hunt for a 5,000m gold medal when they line up for the World Athletics Championships slated for Saturday, 13 to Sunday, 21 September in Tokyo, Japan.
Jacob Krop, Matthew Kipsang, and Cornelius Kemboi are preparing to spearhead the country’s charge at the global championship.
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For Kenya, the event has been a story of near misses and fading memories of John Ngugi’s golden moment at the 1988 Seoul Olympics; the only time a Kenyan has stood atop the podium in this distance since the Games began in 1912.
The barren stretch now spans 36 years, with legends such as Kipchoge Keino, Naftali Temu, Paul Bitok, Eliud Kipchoge, and Thomas Longosiwa all falling just short, despite delivering medals.
Krop, a silver and bronze medallist at the 2022 and 2023 World Championships, will be expected to provide leadership in Tokyo.
He and his team, however, face an uphill task, with a field stacked with record-breakers and global champions in the mix.
Among the favourites is Norway’s Jakob Ingebrigtsen, the reigning Olympic and world champion, who has dominated middle-distance running over the past five years.
Though sidelined by an Achilles injury for much of the outdoor season, the 24-year-old remains a formidable contender after sweeping the 1500m and 3000m titles at both the European and World Indoor Championships earlier this year.
The United States arrives with its strongest squad in years, led by Grant Fisher, who set world indoor records over 3000m (7:22.91) and 5000m (12:44.09) earlier this season.
National champion Nico Young, who lowered the American outdoor record to 12:45.27 in Oslo, adds further firepower.
Europe is also brimming with contenders. Sweden’s Andreas Almgren set a continental record of 12:44.27 on home soil in Stockholm, while France’s Jimmy Gressier will look to carry his Diamond League-winning momentum into Tokyo.
Ethiopia, always a force in the 5000m, will be represented by Hagos Gebrhiwet and Yomif Kejelcha.
Gebrhiwet, making his ninth global appearance, seeks to upgrade his past silver and bronze medals, while Kejelcha, despite never winning a global outdoor medal, arrives in red-hot form after sub-12:50 victories in Monaco and Paris.
Other notable names include Britain’s George Mills, France’s Yann Schrub, European 10,000m champion Dominic Lobalu, Spain’s Thierry Ndikumwenayo, and Belgium’s Isaac Kimeli, all of whom have shown they can mix it with the best.
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