Odira explains decision to compete in five Kenya Prisons Championships events
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Reading Time: 2min | Thu. 14.05.26. | 13:53
The 27-year-old opened her campaign in the 1500m, before dominating the women's 400 and 800m finals
Reigning world 800m champion Lilian Odira has explained why she chose to stretch herself across five different races during the Kenya Prisons Track and Field Championships held on Saturday, 9 May at the Ulinzi Sports Complex.
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Odira, who has quickly established herself as one of Kenya’s leading middle-distance runners, opened her campaign in the 1500m, before going on to dominate the women’s 400m and 800m finals. She later capped off a busy outing by turning out in both the 4x100m and 4x400m relay races for Kenya Prisons.
While competing in multiple events may have raised eyebrows, the Tokyo world champion revealed that the strategy is part of her preparations for a demanding 2026 season.
“So far, my body is responding well after opening my season at the Kip Keino Classic, and we are still working on the endurance. That’s why you saw me in the 1500m, the 400m, so we are balancing both, and we are faring on well,” Odira told Pulse Sports.
The 800m specialist made her season debut at the Kip Keino Classic, where she finished second in 1:59.15, a performance she believes offered positive signs ahead of the major championships later in the year.
According to Odira, each race she entered at the Kenya Prisons Championships served a specific purpose in sharpening different areas of her performance.
“The 800m challenges me more, but I’m just doing the 400m for speed and the 1500m for endurance, but most importantly, I wanted to defend my titles in the 800m and 1500m, and now I’ve added the 400m,” she explained.
Her versatility paid off as she successfully defended her dominance while also helping Kenya Prisons in the relay events.
Odira now shifts her focus to the National Championships, where she hopes to continue building momentum and strengthen her chances of earning a place in Team Kenya for the upcoming Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland.
“Defending my titles keeps me going, and we are going to the nationals, where I hope I will continue with the momentum,” she added.
Beyond making national teams, Odira has set her sights on lowering her personal best time as she continues to mature into one of the country’s top medal prospects on the global stage.
“I plan to make the team that will be going to the Commonwealth Games, but most importantly, we are looking for another personal best time this year,” she said.