Kenya's first medal at the World Relays in sight tonight

World Relay prize purse motivation for Kenyan team in Silesia

Kenya only need to avoid a disqualification when the shuttle relay team takes part in the fifth edition of the World Relays gunning off tonight from 8pm East African Time in Silesia to bag her first medal at the games. 

Kenya is competing against Germany and Poland in the event with Priscilla Tabunda, Michael Musyoka, Nusra Rukia and Wiseman Were entered in the start list as the Kenyan representatives. Vanice Kerubo and Kipkorir Rotich are the reserves. 

Rukia, who competed in the World Under 18 championships in 2017 in Nairobi, failing to make it past the preliminary stages, is making her debut in the showpiece. Now under coach Vincent Mumo, the 19 year old will team up with the veteran hurdles expert, Kenya Defence Forces' (KDF) Tabunda. The fast rising 100m hurdler, Rukia, beat African Games 400 metres hurdles champion, Kerubo, to the starting berth. 

It will be a KDF affair as the men representatives in the shuttle event, Musyoka and Were are both members of the Isiolo Armoured Brigade unit. This makes them a perfect duo, with the addition of their colleague in Isiolo, Tabunda, pointing at a flawless race. 

Shuttle relay that involves men’s 110m hurdles and women’s 100m hurdles was introduced for the first time during the 2019 Yokohama World Relays. In the race, a team fields two men and the same number of women, starting at the finishing end with the men’s 110m hurdles going clockwise. The female team member takes off after her colleague has crossed the line and this happens until the other remaining two completes the circle. 

Team Kenya will begin their medal hunt with the 4x400m women where Gladys Musyoki, Veronica Mutua, Sylvia Chesebe and Mary Moraa will represent in heat scheduled for 19.11hrs EAT. The team will miss the prowess of World Relays bronze medallist and national 400m record holder Hellen Syombua who did not travel with the team. 

The top two teams in each of the three heats qualify to the final with the fastest two losers completing the top eight who will compete in the final. The finalists qualify for the Tokyo Olympics too. 

Meanwhile, William Rayian, Stanley Kieti, David Sanayek and Kevin Tonui will line up for the 4x400m men's race I'm heat one that also has France, Czech Republic Colombia and Japan. Kenya's personal best of 2:59.63 I the third fastest time in the heat, behind France who have a leading PB of 2:58.96 and Colombia on 2:59.50

Naomi Korir and Ferguson Rotich will anchor the 2x2x400m Kenyan team while Jared Momanyi, Joan Cherono, Moraa and Aron Koech line up for the 4x400m mixed relay.