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Kenya's Rio Olympics to start proper with athletics program

Xinhua, August 12, 2016 Adjust font size:

Hopes of Kenya widening its medal haul to boxing and rugby will not be achieved in Rio, but that has not dampened the spirits of fans as they prepare to usher in track and field stars for the gold rush starting Friday.

One week since the Olympics started, Kenyan fans are yet to feel the mood of the Olympics. The small hope they had on rugby sevens was blown when the national team Shujaa was humiliated in the group stage matches by New Zealand, Japan and England.

Now to majority may the real Olympic begin as the track and field programme kicks off Friday with double finals that local athletes will be featuring in.

World 10,000m champion Vivian Cheruiyot has the country holding their breath in anticipation as she launches her quest for double gold. She will be the lead candidate in Friday's final together with Betsy Saina and Africa champion Alice Aprot.

Speaking on phone on Thursday, head coach Julius Kirwa said Kenya will always be under pressure in big competition and Rio Olympics will be no different.

"Everyone is in Rio Olympics with an aim to win. Of course we have a strong team and Cheruiyot is in good shape. But that does not mean that we have the gold in the bag. She has to fight for it and use the other colleagues (Saina and Aprot) to make sure we have a good team work," he said.

Indeed Cheruiyot has been dreaming of winning double gold at the Olympics. She made her first attempt at the double five years ago in Daegu, South Korea during the World Championships and emerged successful winning both the 10,000m and 5,000m races. Her quest for similar success in London 2012, ended with a silver (5,000m) and bronze (10,000m).

But that did not stop her. In her last shot at the Olympics, she turns 32 next month, Cheruiyot wants to silence her critics. She has just returned from maternity and proved her fitness at the Beijing World Championships last year winning gold.

"I always run my own race and in Rio, it will be the same thing. I want to win and I feel am in the same shape as was the case in 2011," said Cheruiyot before going to Rio.

Therefore while Saina and Aprot have the chance to win medals too, the focus will be on Ethiopian pair of defending champion Tirunesh Dibaba, world leader Almaz Ayana and Gelete Burka. Uganda too has an outside chance of staging a surprise as they have Juliet Chekwel.

Alongside the 10,000m final, African champion Samuel Gathimba and Simon Wachira will take to the road in the 20km walk.

Olympic champion David Rudisha will also start the defence of his title in round one of the men 800m. Another race with Kenyan interest will be the 1,500m women where world silver medalist Faith Chepngetich leads Kenya's chase for glory. Endit