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L. MathekaRutto fired up for national trials with with Africa Games, Olympics slots at stake
Reading Time: 2min | Thu. 20.05.21. | 10:13
The Africa Senior Athletics championship has been postponed indefinitely but Athletics Kenya has opted to go on with the planed trials. The Olympics trials will be an invite-only event.
With tickets to the yet to be decided on Africa Senior Athletics Championship up for grabs at the upcoming national trails cum Olympics pre-trial on May 27-29, Vincent Kipyegon Rutto, is hoping to impress the selectors when he takes to the track in the 3000m steeplechase race.
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A World Youth Championships gold medalist in boys' 2000m, Rutto, clocked 8:36.39 for silver at the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) Athletics Championship concluded on Wednesday, 19 May, to book a slot in the national trials.
His time in the military event is 14.39 seconds shy of the Olympics qualifying time set at 8:22.00 and Rutto believes he will master the form to hit the qualifying time as he hopes to impress the selectors at the pre-trial and get an invite to the Olympics trials set for next month.
????????| During the just concluded Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) Athletics Championship, the Africa Games gold medalist was the man to beat prior to the race as he bossed the field to pick a comfortable win in 8:31.96
— Mozzart Sport Kenya (@MozzartSportKe) May 19, 2021
https://t.co/NW7EMpwstp
"The final was a different ball game from the qualifying heats. Normally I run from the front and that way I don't have to hustle for space at the barrier with the rest of the field but in the KDF championship I chose to take it slow, since I have not trained well since the pandemic hit us, and that proved a challenge in the end as I was slowing down on the barrier."
Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani will host the trials for @Tokyo2020 on June 17-19.
— BARNABA KORIR OFFICIAL (@KorirOfficial) May 18, 2021
It will be an invite-only event for the athletes who have thus far attained the qualifying mark for the Tokyo Games. pic.twitter.com/ZELK8rfaaO
"This was, however, a learning process as I have now established that I need to work on my speed and lapping. Being my first championship since Covid-19 suspended all activities and coming off an injury that had grounded me since 2017, I believe I will get better and despite the competition for Olympics tickets, I will give it my best," offered the Mtongwe based athlete.
