TOKYO 2020: Olympic fever takes Kenya's fastest man to Zambia

The search for Tokyo Olympic tickets for prospective athletes has forced Kenya’s fastest man on record Mark Otieno to make private arrangements of flying to Zambia for a last ditch attempt to clock the required time over 100m race and make the long trip to the orient.

Otieno who represents Postal Corporation of Kenya in local races became the first Kenyan to run a 100m race in the then IAAF World Championships when he pulled the feat in London 2017, is hopeful of nailing a spot in the Olympic team.

But with the mayhem SARS COV 19 Virus has caused to athletics calendar in the last one year the twenty five year-old, alongside many others, has not had an ideal opportunity to post the 10.05 seconds required for men to be entered in the 100m of this year’s rescheduled Olympic Games.

Otieno will take part in the All Comers Meet slated for April 10th and 11th at the National Heroes stadium in Lusaka, Zambia with Olympic qualification being his sole agenda.

He’s encouraged by compatriot Ferdinand Omanyala’s 10.01 performance in Nigeria on Tuesday that is yet to be ratified by athletics authorities in the country.

Organizers of the Lusaka meet have put in place all the necessary requirements on international races leaving the athletes to state their own cases.

Following his race in the last Athletics Kenya weekend meeting Otieno was hopeful of running even faster provided he had worthy competitors to spur him.

“I have been training and reaching my peak is a gradual journey that I intend to complete well before qualifications for the Olympics is closed,” he told Mozzart Sports

In Omanyala, Gilbert Osure and a host of other sprinters Otieno has got worthy competitors but is arguably ahead of the pack as he showed while leaving the trailblazing Omanyala in his wake during their last meeting at Kasarani stadium.

The All Comers Meet will feature 30 athletes from outside Zambia whose accommodation and meals will be catered for by Zambia Athletics.