In 2011 Kenyan marathoners won everything on offer

Kenyan athletes showed their mettle at the World Championships in Daegu, but lack of co-ordination and egocentric aspirations in the squad may prove to be a disappointment at the 2012 Olympics Games in London.

Vivian Cheruiyot, Edna Kiplagat, Asbel Kiprop, Abel Kirui, Ezekiel Kemboi and David Rudisha won gold for Kenya in Daegu. But it was Cheruiyot who got the nod after she triumphed in 10,000m and 5,000m distances.

Kenya ended up third in a competition won by USA who had 25 medals 12 of which were gold, Russia was second with 19 medals with nine gold ahead of Kenya who had 17 with seven gold while Jamaica was fourth with nine medals, four of which were gold.

However, one man, Britain’s Mo Farah has given the world a new imiganination that no one could have predicted from what unfold in 2011. At the World Championships he won gold in 5,000 and silver in 10,000m race.

Kenyan must look for new breed of athletes to counter him. Of course the emergence of Isaiah ‘Chairman’ Kiplagat might be it, but even him is still learning the tricks.

In February 2011, Koech became just the fourth man to run the 5000 m indoor under 13 minutes when he clinched victory in 12 minutes 53.29 seconds at the D¸sseldorf meeting. But he was fourth in Daegu clocking 13:24.95.

Depending on how he is grromed, he is a heir apparent to the throne that Eliud Kipchoge took in 2003 Paris World Championships. In marathon, the gem in athletics competition, Kenya reined with an iron fist.

In 2011 Kenya towered above every country in a manner never seen before. Not only did Patrick Makau break the world record to 2:03.38 (earlier record of Haile Gebrselassie was 2:03.59), but also the top twenty five marathoners in the world are Kenyan.

Wilson Kipsang Kiprotich became the second fastest marathoner in history when he missed the world record by only four seconds. So dominant are Kenyan runners that they occupy all the top 25 positions and of the top 30 position. Not only that, but at the 2011 World championships, Kenya won all the medals in both the men and women’s marathon.

Kenyans have won all six of the World Marathon Majors in 2011 – Boston, London, Berlin, Chicago, New York, and this year, the World Championships Marathon in Daegu. Source: The Standard