Habari za Wiki - 11 May, 2021
From The Enda Community
Ken & Michael wore their shoes out to some very different adventures this past week. Ken took his happy pup out for a run in the desert, while Michael hiked around in the snow around Crater Lake National Park.
The Running News
Kenya's April Sports Personality
Ruth Chepngetich receiving her Sports Personality Award.
Marathon world champion and half marathon world record holder Ruth Chepngetich was crowned LG/SJAK Sports Personality of the Month for April. Ruth set a new world record of 1:04:02 for the half marathon at the Kolay Istanbul Half Marathon early last month.
She won the award ahead of ARC Equator Rally winner Carl 'Flash' Tundo, men's marathon record holder Eliud Kipchoge — who won the NN Mission Marathon in Twente, Holland — and Kenya Ports Authority men's volleyball team libero Sam Juma. The self-trained marathoner hopes to build on Istanbul ahead of the Tokyo Olympic Games.
25 laps to Tokyo
Sheila Chepkirui. Photo credit: Ikaika Sport
There was a huge race last week that seems to have slipped under the radar of world running news, where six Kenyan women athletes attained the 10,000m Olympic qualifying standards. The six who all ran inside of 31:25.00, were led by Sheila Chepkirui, former Africa 5,000m champion.
We’ve got the full rundown in this blog post.
Obiri to start her Diamond league season in Doha
The 2021 Diamond League season is shaping up and Doha has begun realizing the entry list. Hellen Obiri is confirmed for the 3000m event, a showdown that will involve Ethiopian Letesenbet Gidey, the 5000m world record holder. Should be good show! Obiri is looking forward to getting back on that track in Doha, going for her fourth victory. Other disciplines in Doha include men’s 800m and 1500 – we should expect Timothy Cheruiyot announcement soon. The Doha Diamond league will be on 28th of May 2021.
Rhonex Kipruto shines
Rhonex Kipruto, or nicknamed K.K led a Kenyan 1-2 at the Fernanda Ribeiro Gold Gala in Portugal on Saturday. The 24-year-old went through halfway in around 14:55 and continued to pick up the pace to clock 27:11.01 ahead of Shadrack Koech. He was using the event to prepare for the Diamond league season as well as the national Olympic trials.
Eldoret Marathon - Save the Date
Eldoret City Marathon will now be held on the 6th of June. This is after Kenya lifted the suspension of sports last week. According to organizers, more than 400 athletes have already registered with 11 from international countries among them Russia, Uganda, United Kingdom, Argentina and Ethiopia.
Non-Kenyan news
Tokyo hosts Olympic trial
420 athletes participated in a test event at the Olympic Stadium on Sunday. The event was arranged to evaluate the state of operations and COVID-19 countermeasures plans with under three months left to go before the Tokyo Games. No spectators were present in the stadium.
Cheptegei in Ostrava
On 19 May 10,000m and 5000m World record-holder Joshua Cheptegei will compete in the Czech Republic for the first time in his career when he lines up at the 60th edition of the Golden Spike, in Ostrava. The Golden Spike is a World Athletics Continental Tour Gold meeting for international track and field competition. Cheptegei will step down to run the 3000m, hunting for speed. His best for that distance is 7:33.26, but the meeting record of 7:31.66 looks to be within reach for the Ugandan.