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Zablon Ekwam reveals health setbacks that nearly ruined his season
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Reading Time: 3min | Wed. 22.07.26. | 14:49
The sprinter had a powerful take off earlier in the season before illnesses forced him out of the limelight
Defending national 200m champion Zablon Ekwam has opened up on the health challenges that threatened to derail his 2026 season before he fought back to secure qualification for the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland.
Ekwam successfully defended his men's 200m title at the 2026 Kenyan National Championships and Commonwealth Games Trials held at the Nyayo National Stadium, crossing the finish line in 20.82 seconds to book his place on Team Kenya.
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The sprinter had shown impressive form earlier in the competition, clocking a faster 20.49 seconds in the preliminary heats to comfortably qualify for the final.
His qualification came after months of battling illness.
Ekwam revealed that recurring health complications kept him away from consistent training between November last year and March.
"This season has been very tough for me, health-wise. I have not been feeling okay, and my body has not been at its best. I was on and off track from last year November till March this year; I have been struggling with lots of diseases.
I had pylori, then amoeba. You see, when you heal from pylori, the stomach walls become very inflammable, and then the gas and everything create infection in the stomach, which eventually leads to amoeba," Ekwam said.
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The 200m specialist admitted that the prolonged illness not only disrupted his preparations but also came with a significant financial burden.
"So, amoeba weighed me down all along, and I spent a lot on that," he added.
Despite the setbacks, Ekwam managed to regain his fitness in time to retain his national crown and qualify for his second major championship of the year.
In Glasgow, he will line up alongside Elkana Sabila in the men's 200m, where they are expected to face a world-class field led by Botswana's Olympic 200m champion Letsile Tebogo, whose personal best stands at 19.46 seconds.
Other leading contenders include Canada's Andre De Grasse (19.62), Jamaica's Bryan Levell (19.64), England's Zharnel Hughes (19.73) and South Africa's Sinesipho Dambile (19.77).
The event will also feature Zimbabwe's Tapiwanashe Makarawu (19.93), Canada's Aaron Brown (19.95) and Brendon Rodney (19.96), South Africa's Shaun Maswanganyi (19.99), Zimbabwe's Makanakaishe Charamba (20.00), Australia's Calab Law (20.42) and England's Jona Efoloko (20.44).
For Ekwam, earning a place on Team Kenya represents more than just national pride.
The sprinter said major championships also provide athletes with an opportunity to improve their livelihoods through prize money and incentives.
"All of us athletes aim at representing Team Kenya. And when you represent Kenya as an athlete, you get something small financially. We are doing this as a lifestyle, and we earn from it," he said.
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Looking ahead to the Commonwealth Games, Ekwam remains optimistic that a strong performance could reward his perseverance after months of adversity.
"When I go to the Commonwealth Games, I will do my best. If I get a medal, it definitely will pay, and I will have something to sustain my life going forward," he said.